
Glass. 
Book. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 




PERCIVAL G. LOWE. 



Five Years a Dragoon 

('49 TO '54.) 

AND OTHER ADVENTURES ON 
THE GREAT PLAINS. 



BY 

PERCIVAL G. LOWE. 



kansas city, mo. : 

The Fkanklin Hudson Publishing Co. 

1906. 






LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

APR 16 1906 

Copyright Entry 
CLASS 'tC XXc. No. 
I COPY B. ' 



Copyright 1906, 
By PERCIVAL G. LOWE. 



TO THE MEMORY OF MAJOR DAVID H. HASTINGS, U. S. A., 
WHO DIED IN RETIREMENT AT HIS HOME IN BATH, NEW 
YORK, TO WHOM I OWE MORE THAN TO ANY OTHER 
FOR HIS KINDLY GUIDANCE IN MY YOUTH AND 
INEXPERIENCE WHILE SERVING UNDER 
HIM, AND WHOSE FRIENDLY CARE LED 
ME THROUGH THE GREATEST DIF- 
FICULTIES, THIS VOLUME IS 
GRATEFULLY DEDICATED 
BY THE AUTHOR. 



PEEFACE. 



At the close o^f a busy life, interspersed with exciting 
adventures, I find myself living in the past enjoying the 
recollections of old comrades and business associates, the 
scenes in which Ave mingled in early manhood, the bivouac 
under the blue sky, the faithful vigil of tlie weary sentinel 
for the safety of all. 

The living who know of the truthfulness of statements 
herein made are few, but the records live. 

Always blessed with a good memory, it seemed to be 
renewed — to come to my assistance, as, step by step, I travel 
the old roads and recount the incidents of long ago. 

Fortunately I kej)t an accurate daily journal of some of 
the campaigns of which I write, and have only to copy 
extracts, brief, but comprehensive enough without being 
too voluminous. 

My recollection of Fort Riley were first embodied in 
an address delivered before the Kansas State Historical 
Society, lieferring to this address I received many letters 
of congratulation and approval. The Journal of the 
United States Cavalry Association did me the honor to 
publish it and a number of Army friends signified their 
approval and urged me to write more, which T did w'th 
considerable reluctance, mistrusting my ability ; the Jour- 



nal coiitinuefl to encourage me and publish my articles and 
the result, with all of its imperfections, is here given to 
the world. Whatever may be its fate in the hands of civil- 
ians, I earnestly hope that it may be read by soldiers, who 
may find some consolation in comparing" their present com- 
fortable homes, pay and emolnments with what soldiers en- 
joyed fifty years ago. 

The stories here told, the scenes and incidents referred 
to, will never be repeated. 

The great plains have been transformed into cultivated 
fields producing food for millions and sending to the mar- 
kets of the world the finest animals known to the meat- 
consuming nations of the earth. ''J."'he wild herds and sav- 
age men have all passed away, never to' return. Instead 
of the wigwam we have the modern home, farm, factory, 
school and church — instead of savage isolation and war, the 
railroad, telegraph, telephone, rural mail delivery, and the 
highest intelligence and refinem'cnt known to civilization. 

P. G. Lowe, Leavenworth, Kansas. 
December 25, 1905, the fift3^-sixth anniversary of my 
arrival at Fort Leavenworth. 



PART i. 



1 




HAD been raised on a farm 
until fifteen; had been news- 
boy and sold papers 
about the streets of 
Low ell, 
Mass.; 
L^ had been 
t h r e e 
■ years 
a sailor, 
including 

a whaling voyage, ard learned the daguerreotype busi- 
ness in the gallery of Mr. Plumb on Washington Street, 
Boston, and became a first-class operator. I was a per- 
sistent reader of voyages, travels, campaigns, explora- 
tions and history, and novels such as Marryat's, Coop- 
er's, Scott's, etc., and the spirit of adventure was so 
strong that I determined to enlist in the mounted service, 
which was sure to place me on the great plains of the 
West, among Indians, buffaloes, and other big game, and 
the mountaineers and trappers of whom I had read so 
much. Fremont's Narrative of 1843-4, and Captain Bon- 
neville's Adventures gave the finishing touches to my 
inclination. It seemed to me that five years in this kind 
of field would round out my education, so to speak, and 
if I lived would then be readv to settle down to some- 
thing permanently. 



^ PtVt^ YFjAUS a DRAGOON' 

Having determined npon this course, J presented my- 
self at the recruiting oihco in Boston, giving my occupation 
as a farmer. Tlio reeruiiing ofTicer, Major Sibley, of the 
Second Dragoons, thought that 1 was not twenty-one, and 
by my general appearance not a farmer — did not look like 
one, and did not dress like a young mail just olf the farm. 
T told him that I was born on the 29th of Septomber, 1828, 
hence, this being the l')lii of October, 18-L9, I had a safe 
margin, of eighteen days. The Major assured me this was 
probably the least funny business I would ever attempt; 
"And, mark me, young man," said he, "if you take this 
step you will regret it only once, and that will be from the 
time you become acquainted AAith your position until you 
get out of it; and another thing, a large percentage of men 
never return to their friends. If you have no friends you 
ouglit to have, and if for any reason you waiit to hide your- 
self from the world, try something from which you can free 
yourself if you so desire. You may come back to-morrow." 

I was not pleased at the thought of forcing myself into 
trouble in spite of the admonition given me, and spent an 
anxious night, but brushed all aside in the morning, and 
assured the Major that I hoped he w^ould accept me; and 
by way of recommending myself, informed him that I was 
not only a farmer, but had been three years at sea, giving 
him something of my seafaring experience. He admitted 
that a man who could stand all of that might have some 
show as a soldier, and T was accepted. 

My descriptive roll said twenty-one years, five feet 
eleven inches high, dark-complexioned, dark brown hair, 
gray eyes, weight one Innidred and seventy-five pounds, and 
in pei'fect health. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 7 

I gave a large trunk full of clothes to the recruiting ser- 
geant, who was just my size, and in return he had the 
iailor fit for me two complete suits of fatigue uniform and 
an overcoat. I retained a large valise, with its contents — 
books — with Avhich I would not part until compelled to. I 
was, therefore, well clothed, and had about one hundred 
and twenty-five dollars in money, which no one suspected. 
It proved a great convenience to be able to buy something 
good to eat for myself and one or two modest greenhorns 
who had not learned to quench tliirst, subdue hunger, and 
otherwise obliterate their misery with whiskey. 

Unlike the recruits of to-day, the fact that a man would 
get drunk was no bar to his enlistment, and his moral char- 
acter was of little interest. Once enlisted, the proper au- 
thorities would attend to the rest. Being physically all 
right, his habits cut little figure. Family trouble, disap- 
pointment in love, riots and personal difficulties, making 
one amenable to the law, often caused men to enlist who 
proved to be the best of soldiers. In my troop there were men 
isolating themselves from society for all sorts of reasons. 
A man drunk would not be enlisted; but however tough 
looking, if he were sober at the time of presenting himself, 
and physically able, he would pass. Uniformity of size was 
not considered. In my troop one man weighed one hun- 
dred pounds, and was five feet four, while several were 
above six feet and weighed from two hundred to two 
hundred and twenty-five pounds. Endurance was the 
test; all else was waived. 

A few days after enlisting I was sent, with fifteen 
others, via New York (where as many more joined us) to 
Carlisle Barracks, Pa., then a school for mounted service 



g FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

recruits — First and Second Dragoons and Mounted Eiflcs — 
all of which were stationed at various points in the Indian 
Territory, Texas, New Mexico, or on the Pacific Coast. 

At Carlisle there were two troops — A and B. I was 
assigned to A. Colonel Piiilip St. George Cooke conimianded 
the post; liieutenant D. II. Hastings was adjutant. There 
were several West Point graduates hrevot second lieutenants 
— who were waiting assignment or an opportunity to join 
the regiment to which already assigned. All of the non- 
commissioned officers were Mexican War veterans, and at 
Carlisle because of thoir supposed special fitness to disci- 
pline recruits. 

It fell to ]ny lot to drill under Lieutenant Beverly Rob- 
ertson, late major-general in the Confederate Army. He 
was, to my fancy, a splendid man; gentle, firm, persistent, 
never seeming to lose patience, yet never yielding to any- 
tliing short of the most perfect' performance possible of the 
movement undertaken. Carbine and saber drill came in 
the forenoon, on foot, and mounted drill in the aftei;noon. 
As a boy, I had good horses to ride. The prediction that 
I would sooner or later liave my neck brokejii, was believed 
by most of the careful mothers in my neighborhood, and 
youngsters were forbidden to ride with that "Lowe boy." 
This is about the way all bo3^s with energy enough to enjoy 
life are looked upon. 

Horses were kept for use in drilling, and among them 
a beautiful bay, apparently gentle, bright eyes, long thin 
neck, fine head, high withers, fine sinewy legs, and stand- 
ing out by himself a perfect picture of a horse. I chose 
him when we came to drill, and he was assigned to me. 
The man in charge of the stable said tliat he would run 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 9 

away, and had thrown several men, but I thought this an 
attempt to frigliton a recruit. Commencing with mounting 
bareback, then with saddles and crossed stirrups, and go- 
ing tlirough the evohitions at a walk, in a few days quite 
a squad, perliaps tvv^enty, had advanced so that they were, 
while still riding with crossed stirrups, drilled at a trot, 
and then at a gentle gallop. At the command "gallop" 
my horse, in spite of all I could do, ran across the parade- 
ground, and out towards the town. I could turn him, but 
could not check his speed. Here and there I went, turn- 
ing at pleasure, but failing to check him. Finally I turned 
toward a plank fence, thinking I might istop him there, but 
the fence did not bother him a bit — over he went, and with 
scarcely a heart-beat, kept on, going over the fence on tlie 
other side, and then off like the wind. At last I got headed 
towards the squad, standing at rest, ran into it and stopped. 
Lieutenant Eobertson had sent the non-commissioned offi- 
cers to look for me, but they could scarcely keep in sight. 
An order was issued forbidding the use of this horse ("Mu- 
rat") by any of the recruits. Of course, everybody at the 
post talked about it, and a witty Trishman wrote a parody 
on "John Gilpin's Eide," in which the recruit and his 
steed were shown up in humorous style. 

The following Sunday^ having invited two friends — 
Wagner and O'Shea — to breakfast with me at the "Little 
Brick House'' just out of the post, we had agreed to go 
direct from the parade-ground when dismissed from inspec- 
tion. We took no breakfast at mess except a cup of coffee, 
and saved our appetites for the feast. I had arranged with 
the man who kept the place to have fried chicken and nec- 
essary accompaniments. We looked forward to our ten 



10 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

o'clock breakfast with pleasant anticipations. Wagner was 
a Kentuckian, about thirty- three years of age and well edu- 
cated. He had met with business reverses in Louisville, 
and after going to New York to straighten out his affairs 
met with so much discouragement he concluded to enlist. 
He wanted to hide himself from all his friends and have 
time to think, as he said, without restraint. O^Shea was 
about twenty-five, came to New York after the Irish riots 
of 1848. Found himiself among strangers, without money, 
and believing the Army was the place for him, enlisted. 
I never knew a handsomer man or more perfect gentlemen. 
The parade over, we went to breakfast. I sat at the 
end of the table with my two friends on either side. The 
breakfast was before us and I about to serve, when in came 
a noisy band of rufhans, swearing and making themselves 
generally disagreeable. The leader, or chief bully, six feet 
two inches high — a giant weighing two hundred and twenty- 
five pounds — came straight to our table and said: "Here, 
b'ys, is a foine lay-out; here, Tom, take a leg; here Jimmy, 
take a wing ; here, Slathery, take the breast that ye 're so 
fond of," as he proceeded to talvc in his dirty fingers the 
parts named and pass them to his friends. Not a word 
was spoken by our party, but about the time the dish was 
nearly empty, seeing my astonished look, the bully said 
to me, in a sneering soi't of tone, "Ye 're a foine child, 
sure." Then I sprang to my feet, drew my saber and 
went for him with all the venom and fury of which I was 
possessed — cut and thrust. The fact that the saber had a 
dull edge, as all sabers had at that time, accounts for his 
not being killed. His companions tried to save him, and 
two of them received scars on account of it. My two friends 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. H 

drew their sabers and vowed to kill any one who interfered, 
and I pounded the howling wretch nntil he lay prostrate, 
begging for his life, and I was exhausted. From that day 
to this I have never ceased to be thankful that I did not 
kill the poor unfortunate creature, and in my thankfulness 
he was fully forgiven. A file of the guard came at ^^double 
quick.'' "The recruits are killing each other/' was the cry. 
The officer of the day,. Lieutenant Fields, came just as the 
guard was about to take all hands to the guard-house, and 
took things coolly. The first move was to send "Big Mit," 
as he was called, to the hospital, covered from head to foot 
with cuts and bruises. It took all of his party of ruffians, 
half-drunk as they were, to c^rry him off. A file of the 
guard went along, and when "Mit" was deposited in the 
hospital his friends were confined in the guard-house. Wag- 
ner and the man who kept the place explained the affair 
to Lieutenant Fields, who directed us to stay and get our 
breakfast and then report to First Sergeant Smart; the 
sergeant of the guard was to take charge of us until that 
time, but not to take us to the guard-house without further 
orders. We were too much wrought up to enjoy break- 
fast, and I told the lieutenant (the first words I had spoken 
•during the whole affair) that we would go now. LTnder 
guard we went, and the story was told in full and written 
down. The ruffians were also interviewed and did not 
deny the outrage, but said they had not intended to have 
any trouble, which was doubtless true, for the same gang 
had terrorized everybody that came in their way. Every 
new batch of recruits must be hazed and bulldozed; to re- 
sist was to be knocked down, kicked and adorned with a 
black eye. These three innocent-looking fellows were the 



12 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

first real snags they had stmck. The doctor reported "Mit" 
not necessarily dangerously wounded, but that he was badly 
bruised about the head, hands and arms. The adjutant was 
present with Lieutenant Fields, and wrote a report of the 
affair. When the whole matter was explained to the com- 
manding officer, the guard was withdrawn from Wagner, 
O'Shea and myself, and that ended the matter so far as we 
were concerned. 

But I was getting too much notoriety and it troubled 
me. I had no taste for the sort of heroism growing out of 
brawls and fights. I had never made intimates easily, and 
now I shrank from, the curiosity seekers who wanted to 
O'Shea and myself, and that ended the matter so far as 
we were concerned. 

At Carlisle quite a number of the best behaved men 
were retained to do regular duty, as in a company. They 
were called "the permanent party.'' Of course they were 
liable to be sent away to join some troop in one of the 
mounted regiments. A large percentage of them were made 
*T[ance" non-commissioned officers — corporals or sergeants. 
Some men served there for years. The chances seemed good 
for all of us to stay all winter, in which case a large gar- 
rison would accumulate. I grew depressed at this pros- 
pect. But finally an order came to send seventy-four men 
to Fort Leavenworth for the First Dragoons — sixteen for K, 
then at Fort Leavenworth, thirty-four for F, then at Fort 
Scott, one hundred and twenty miles south of Fort Leaven- 
worth, and twenty-four for B, three hundred miles west of 
Fort Leavenworth, at Fort Kearney. 



FIVE 7EAR8 A DRAGOON. 13 

It was the rule at Carlisle to send off all the troublesome 
characters with each batch going to join troops. This was 
probably the last chance to unload this class before spring, 
and a dozen or more of them were booked, including my 
friend "Big Mit^' and his gang. Lieutenant Fields was to 
go in command of the seventy-four. "Mit" came from the 
liospital, head bandaged and right hand in a sling. His 
comrades fell in from the guard-house. When the roll was 
caUed I found myself, "Big Mit" and one of his comrades 
of the same name (a smaller but more vicions man) in B 
Troop. I was not pleased, but said nothing. Wagner, to 
whom I had ])ecom.e attached (a man so superior that daily 
association with him was a positive pleasure and a great ad- 
vantage to me), was assigned to K and O^Shea to B Troop. 

We went from Carlisle to Harrisbnrg by rail, thence by 
canal boat to a point in the Alleghanies where a railroad 
ran over the mountain, the motive power being a station- 
ary engine on top of it. We marched from where we left 
the canal boat, over the mountains to St. Johnsberg on 
the other side, and there took canal boat to Pittsburg, 
thence by steamboat to St. Louis, where we transferred 
to another boat, the Haidee, to go up the Missouri Eiver. 
This, we all hoped, would be our last change, and in a 
week we should land at Fort Leavenworth. 

N'ot far above St. Louis, after several days of hard strug- 
gle with the ice, our boat was frozen in at Portland, Mis- 
souri: and now we were told that the way the conntry roads 
then ran, we were three handred miles from Fort Leaven- 
worth. The country was covered with snow and ice. For 
two weeks we had been on canal and steamboat, with no ex- 



14 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

ercise, and were in no condition to march. From Portland 
to Fulton wap nineteen miles, over rongh hills, with no 
place between the two towns to stop, so that we must walk 
all of that distance the hrst day. A couple of wagons were 
hired to haul our baggage. A few men rode in the wagons. 
"Mit" was recovering from his injuries rapidly, but he rode. 
Wagner and T arrived at Fulton at dark, but many did not 
get in until very late. The icy roads had exhausted me. 
The long one-story hotel had a long dining-room table with 
plenty to eat — a whole prairie chicken for each man — ^but 
not a mouthful could I eat. I doubled my blanket, spread 
it on the floor in one corner, took oif my shoes and lay down 
with all my clothes on, including overcoat. I was too fear- 
fully weary to rest v^eW on the hard oak floor, but was as- 
tonished at my improved condition in the morning. I 
really enjoyed the breakfast. 

The second day, from Fulton to Millersburg, was twelve 
miles. Snow fell all day, but the roads were better, weather 
milder, and we did not suffer so much. We were scattered 
about the httle village, myself and half a dozen others at a 
comfortable brick house with good fireplaces. I asked the 
good lady for hot water and some towels, and after a delight- 
ful bath, put on clean clothes, ate a good 4 o'clock dinner, 
and slept in a good bed, where every time I woke I could 
see the bright fire. Oh, how I enjoyed that night! In the 
morning my troubles had vanished; but how I did hate to 
leave this good home to launch out again on the ice and 
snow ! But there was no more trouble from this point to 
the end of the journey. I was sometimes cold, and endured 
many inconveniences, but never complained, and was never 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOOX 



15 



tired after the second day. Wagner, O'Shea and I nearly 
always closed the day's journey ahead of the others. If we 
wanted a lunch we bought it. We could buy a pair of home- 
made woolen socks at almost any farm house, and not a day 
passed that I did not give one or more pairs to some sufferer. 

I do not remember all of our route through the grand 
old State of Missouri, nor every stopping place. Sonie of 
them were Fulton, Millersburg, Boonville, Columbia, Mar- 
shal], Le>:ington, Tlambrights, Independence and Westport. 

At Grinter's Ferry crossing of the Kaw Eiver, the old 
ferryinan and his wife lived on the south side. He was an 
old soldier and fond of talking, and while we waited until 
all c-aught up, he explained that the Military Eoad that we 
had come into betv/ecn the ferry and W^estport, ran south to 
Fort Scott, about one hundred mile^ and thence to Fort 
Gibson and other ^ints south, and after crossing the ferry 
ran west of north twenty-two miles to Fort Leavenworth. 

AYe crossed the ferry tovrards evening, and Mr. Mundy, 
government blacksmith for the Delaware Indians, furnished 
us a good supper. And what a managing housekeeper ^Irs. 
Mundy must have been. Seventy-live hungry men were fur- 
nished a supper they could never forget, and not one failed 
to have plenty. To this day I remember liow delicious the 
biscuits were, and then we had honey with them; and the 
venison, ham. and cofTce I Just think of it ! A lot of rough 
fellows meeting such a feast. I felt sorry for Mrs. Mundy, 
but there seemed no end to her supplies. Isaac Mundy and 
his wife were born in Virginia and married there. He was 
a great hunter ; accidently shot himself, and was buried 
with Masonic honors at Wliite Church, in Wvandotte Coun- 

2- 



16 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

tj, Kansas, February 27, 185S. x\t the request of the In- 
dians he was buried at the foot of the grave of Chief Ket- 
chum. Mrs. Mund}^ raised a good family of seven children 
— four 'daughters and three sons. All except one married 
and raised families^ and they are among the best and most 
prosperous people of Platte County, Mo. Mrs. Mundy is 
living with her daughter and son-in-law, Hon. Lot W. 
Ringo, of Weston. She is nearly ninety years old.* 

The Mundys accommodated all that they could in the 
house^ and a lot of us occupied an old storeroom boarded 
up and down, wide cracks in sides and floor. We shivered, 
but did not sleep. It was the 24th of December and cold, 
with plenty of snow on the ground — certainly a dreary 
Christmas Eve — and a hard freezing night. At midnight 
we came out and huddled around a big fire until break- 
fast. Some of the men kept it burning all night. The 
breakfast was a duplicate of the supper, and the Indian 
girl who waited on me at both meals, wearing a clean 
calico dress, looked charming. 

This was expected to be our last meal until we reached 
Fort Leavenworth, but we hoard such good accounts of the 
fort that there was no complaint, and the pro'spect of any 
kind of a home kept all in good humor. 

Interesting incidents of this trip by rail, by canal boats, 
by steamboats, and on foot, were numerous, and the oppor- 
f unity to study human nature excellent. I had a hundred 
dollars on leavins^ Carlisle, and do not think there were 
twenty-five dollars more with the whole party, except what 
Corporal Wood and Lieutenant Fields had. A few who had 

*Mr3. Mundy died a year after this article was published in the JoumQl. 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 17 

been at Carlisle some time and had been paid off, possessed 
a dollar or two, and as a canteen could be filled with whisk- 
ey for twenty-five cents, there was enough tO' make a good 
deal of noise and get up a fight once in a while. It was for- 
tunate that there was no more money among fne tough ele- 
m.ent (about twenty), who made all the trouble, did nearly 
all of the complaining, and caused all of the comxplaints 
from citizens along the road. 

As I look back after long 3^ears of experience, I think 
that no young officer could have managed better than did 
Lieutenant Fields, with the assistance of Oorporal Wood. 
He had graduated the previous June from AV^est Point and 
reported at Carlisle in the fall, hence this was nis first "cam- 
paign," and T venture to say that throughout his active In- 
dian campaigns in Texas and elsewhere, his experience as a 
general in the Confederate army, and in the service of the 
lOiedive of Egypt after the Civil War, he never had a more 
trying trip than this. Throughout all of it he showed the 
utmost good judgment and common sense, with which he 
was abundantly blessed. Corporal Wood had been a pork 
packer in liOuisville, where he failed in business. ITe en- 
listed in the First Dragoons and served through the Mexi- 
can War. He had but six months to serve, and wanting to be 
discharged as far west as possible, was sent out with us. He 
was a fine clerk ; understood government accounts, and was 
fully competent to act as commissary and quartermaster 
for our detachment. It was all plain sailing on canal boats 
and steamboats, where he managed to give us fairly good 
meals for the small government allowance, and no man 
had just cause to complain. He was a determined, lion- 



18 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

hearted men, who would brook no nonsense, and on two 
occasions settled rows and insolent complaints with a cluh. 
the moral effect of which was to insure quiet, peace and 
fairly good order. He was that peculiar type of man who 
-wipuld have commanded as completely as a private as he 
would as a captain. While gentle and soft of voice, no 
man could be intimate with him without his consent. 

When we took the steamer at St. Louis, Lieutenant 
Fields said to Wood: "Well, barring accidents, Corporal, 
we should have little trouble from here to Fort Leaven- 
worth.'^ When we became frozen up at Portland a hard 
problem was befoTO him. The whole face of the country 
was covered with snow and ice. As the miserable road* 
then ran, the distance was estimated to be about three 
hundred miles to Fort Leavenworth, country thinly settled 
and towns wide apart. We must be on the road about 
twenty days, and how was he to subsist us ? Corporal Wood 
had saved his money during his four and a half years' ser- 
vice, mostly as clerk, and now revealed to Fields the fact 
that he had considerable, and it was settled that he should 
furnish the command necessary subsistence, arrange for 
Lieutenant Fields to give voiichors wherever they would be 
acceptable, and pay his own money when necessary^ taking 
proper vouchers for his own protection. He bought a cheap 
horse, rode ahead each day and made arrangements in town 
or village or on plantation to feed us — dinner at the end of 
the day's march, and breakfast, and to furnish the best 
lodging practicable. We had an abundance of everything 
that the country through which we passed afforded. Our 
sleeping accommodations were necessarily poor in some 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 19 

places, on plantations where there was not room in the 
houses, but the people throughout the journey were very 
kind, and none of us would have gone hungry if there 
had been no pay in it. After our arrival at Fort Leaven- 
worth, Wood told me that his vouchers were all paid. 

Lieutenant Fields bought a fine horse as we came by 
Cincinnati, but seldom rode him, nearly always giving a 
ride to some weary straggler. Some men were always rid- 
ing in the wagon; probably half of them rode more or less 
during the trip, and it was noticeable that, while a few rode 
for want of good shoes, the tough gang, from temporary 
illness, caused by whiskey, did the most of the riding, while 
the fellows who made no noise, walked without complain- 
ing. Of course, the non-commissioned officers were 'lance,'' 
made for the trip, chief among them being the acting first 
sergeant. He had been at Carlisle some time; was believed 
to have been a deserter from the British army in Canada; 
at any rate he had been a British soldier, and was an all- 
around brute— big, burly and noisy. He was quite efficient 
among toughs, but could be induced to "let up" for a bottle 
of whiskey. However, I had escaped his special notice, in 
my quiet way, and had nothing to complain of, but was 
glad he was going to K instead of B Troop. 

And now, on this beautiful Christmas Day, about 8 
o'clock, we left the ferry, our kind host and his family, 
on our last day's march— twenty-two miles to Fort Leav- 
enworth. Up over the Wyandotte hills, past a few Indian 
cabins, out upon the prairie by the military road; and ex- 
cept that it was sloppy, caused by the melting snow in the 
afternoon, marching was good. We had been cautioned not 



20 



FIVE YEAR8 A DRAGOON. 



to stroll on ahead, as we had heretofore been permitted to 
do, but to keep near together so as to march into the gar- 
rison in good order. Edward Brydon was our trumpeter — 
and perfection in his line — an Irishman by birth, printer 
by trade, now entering upon his third enlistment, and re- 
turning to Troop B, from which he had been twice hon- 




SuMFER Place, Looking Northwest (1865). 

ora,bly dischargeJ. He had tried to live out of the army, 
but his good nature and convivial habits broughtl him back. 
He was loyal to his troop, had served under Captain E. 
V. Sumner, tlien lieutenant-colonel, commanding Fort 
Leavenworth, and thought him a great captain; did not 
know the present captain, and did not expect to find many 
of his old friends in the troop. 1 liked ^^Old Ned," as he 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 21 

was called, always kind and intelligent. He assured me 
that B was the best troop in the service. I had occasion 
to do jiim a few little favors on the trip, which he never 
forgot, and as we walked along together that day he pointed 
out the lay of the country, the location of Indian tribes — 
the Shawnees south of the Kaw Riyer where we crossed, 
the Wyandottes in the forks of the Kaw and Missouri, the 
L^elawares west of the Wyandottes and the little band 
of Muncies just below the Fort where is now Mount Mun- 
cJe Cemetery and the Soldiers' Home, and the Kickapoos 
west of the Fort in Salt Creek Valley. Pilot Knob, stand- 
ing out a hundred and fifty feet above the plain, five miles 
south of the Fort, was in sight early in the day, but it took 
us a long time to get east of it. Six miles south of the 
post, on high ground, stood a one-room log cabin, and in 
the door, completely filling it from side to side and top to 
bottom, like a picture in a frame, stood a big Delaware 
Indian woman. She smilingly scanned the ranks for some 
one she knew, when Brydon said: ^'By the holy horn 
spoons, there 's Indian Mary !" and he went up and shook 
hands with her. She had from time to time been a ser- 
vant in some of the officers' families, had grown old 
in the service, and was well liked. 

And now the llag at the Fort was plainly in sight. We 
crossed Five Mile Creek (in measuring the military road 
from Fort Leavenworth the starting-point was the flag 
staff and the creeks and landmarks were spoken of as so 
many miles from that point), then Three Mile, and up the 
hill to what is now the head of Broadway, Leavenworth, 
and on across Two Mile Creek and up the long grade to 



22' FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

the top of the Jiill, where the flag was near, little more than 
a mile away, and tlie buildings plainly in view. Our jour- 
ney was nearly ended. Half a mile before reaching the 
post we heard a bugle sounding retreat and Brydon joined 
ii\, the ranks were closed up, the roll called, and we marched 
ill good order in front of the commanding officer's quar- 
ters, halted, faced the quarters and stood at attention, while 
Colonel Sumner heard the roll called and saw the names 
checked off. The men for B Troop stood on the right, 
Brydon on the extreme ri^ht, and the Colonel recognized 
him, shook hands, and said: ^'Well, Brydon, you are back 
again.'^ "Yes, Colonel." "Couldn't keep out?" queried 
the Colonel. "IN'o, Colonel, I had to come back." "Well," 
said the Colonel, "I am glad you returned to your old 
troop." 

We were not detained long; marched down to the brick 
quarters occupied by K Troop and filed into the dining- 
room for supper. On a table bread and boiled pork were 
cut in slices, a big kettle of coffee was there, and each man 
passed his tin cup, which was filled. All of us stood and 
received our rations, fell back as soon as supplied, and ate 
our supper — not half as much nutrim.ent as we needed. 
The British deserter had l^een supplied witli whiskey since 
li.is arrival, and he officiated in handing each man his ration, 
taking a slice of pork, putting it on a slice of bread and 
handing it to the nearest man — a Christmas dinner long 
to be remembered. 

We were assigned to the brick quarters south of K 
Troop, where we found a detachment of six men of I Troop, 
First Dragoons, just in from Riado, New Mexico, with the 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



23 



mail. Wood had reported our approach early in the after- 
noon, and with these men had our bed sacks filled and the 
squad room warm. We had to thank the first sergeant of 
K Troop for our miserable supper. He was making com- 
pany funds; soon after deserted with horse and equipments 
and most of the funds. Little more than a year later, when 





Dragoon Quarters of 1840. 



a corporal, with two comrades who had suffered with me, 
I was sent to Platte City after this man, the commanding 
officer having heard that he had been seen there. Sure 
enough, we found him, and after a brief struggle, brought 
him back riding behind one of the men, and placed him 
in the guard house. I told him that nothing paid better 



24 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

than common humanity and decency, and that but for our 
miserable reception at the end of a throe-hundred mile 
march in cold winter, we miglit not have felt it incum- 
bent upon us to invade a man's house to capture him. Our 
duty hardly justified the trouble and risk we took. I am 
sorry to say that he made his escape from the guard house 
before he was tried and drummed out, which he surely 
would have been. 

A dozen overcoats had disappeared from as many un- 
fortunates since we left Carlisle — all sold for a mere song, 
to get money to buy whiskey, and this in the face of the 
cold the losers were exposed to. One mile above the Fort, 
on the opposite side of the Missouri River, was a place 
called "Whiskey Point,'' where anything could be sold or 
traded for whiskey, and an enterorising pilot interested a 
few of the new arrivals, and a couple more overcoats were 
gone, and a man each from B. F. and K Troops found 
themselves in the guard house at daylight. The next day 
transportation was furnished and the detachment for F 
Troop started for Fort Scott, one hundred and twenty 
miles south. The detachment for K Troop had found their 
places on arrival. And now it was settled that the de- 
tachment for B Troop would remain until spring. The 
detachment of six men of I Troop would also remain un- 
til spring. And strange as it may appear, I remember 
the names of these men fifty-six years later. Jones, a 
lance sergeant; Privates Talbot, Worrel, McKenzie, Fox 
and Byrns. Except Byrns, these men had all passed 
through the Mexican War, and I may as well tell of their 
eijd now. Worrel died on a farm in Leavenworth Coun- 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 25 

ty, Kansas, about 1880; he had served ten years. Mc- 
.Kenzie and Fox were killed by Indians. Jones and Tal- 
bot were discharged at Riado, New Mexico. Byrns, who 
was then (1849) twenty-one years of age, was killed in the 
battle of the Wilderness while colonel of a volunteer regi- 
ment and commanding a brigade in the Union Army. He 
served in all the grades of non-commissioned officer, was 
badly wounded in 1854 in Xew Mexico by Indians, and 
secured his commission as second lieutenant in the regular 
army at the commencement of the Civil War. An Irish- 
man by birth, well educated, and my warm and constant 
friend from our iirst meeting to the time of his death. 

And now the two detachments were thrown 'together — 
B and I — with Sergeant Jones in charge and Lieutenant 
Fields the detachment commander, and under their man- 
agement our quarters were made comfortable, and our own 
mess and food properly prepared. We were paid off in 
Januar}', 1850, to end of December, 1849 — $8 per month, 
with $1 retained each month. A couple of dollars from 
each man to bu} extras for the mess did wonders. Huck- 
sters from Mi.-souri brought vegetables, aud we fared fair- 
ly well. Three months we had ahead of us before we could 
cross the plains to join our troop. Lieutenant Fields or 
Sergeant Jones drilled us on foot twice a day. We had to 
do our share of guard and other duty, but had no horses 
to care for. I took great pride in saber exercise, and prac- 
ticed much with small swords made of tough hickory with 
Miller, Byrns, O^Shea and others. Miller was an English- 
man, who had seen better days, and enlisted in New York 
because he was absolutely hungry — ^'too proud to beg and 



25 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

too honest to steal" — a teacher by profession and master of 
several languages. O'Shea was a graduate of Dublin Col- 
lege, and a better all around man I never met. He was 
the champion boxer, and that was a leading branch of our 
exercises. Eules of good behavior were strict and well ob- 
served. I never had more congenial companionship, and 
that kept us alive and fairly happy. We made the best of 
everything, and did no grow^ling; found some good books 
in the post library and did much readiag. In fact, I was 
getting along quite contentedly, until one Saturday I had 
cleaned up carbine, saber, belts, etc., for Sunday morning 
inspection, and left them in my "rack." Wlien I came up 
from supper [ found in their place very dirty equipments. 
At first I thought it a joke, and glanced around quietly. 
Byrns was lying on his bunk, and told me that he saw "Big 
Mit" take my "kit" and put his in place of it. I took mine 
from his rack, and was in the act of adjusting it, when he 
came in, rushed at me like a roaring maniac, and raised his 
carbine to strike. In less time than it takes to tell it, I 
was all over him with my saber. Men came rushing up 
from supper; word passed that the men of the "detach- 
ment," as it was called, were killing each other, and a file 
of the guard was called; but Jones came first, and made 
a detail to carry off "Mit." Lieutenant Fields came with 
the officer of the day, and Byrns told the story in good 
shape. When they left Lieutenant Fields said to the officer 
of the day : "I think that brute will leave that young fel- 
low alone hereafter." 

'A m.onth later "Mit" returned to the squad room and 
I went over to him and said: "Well, how are you?" He 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



27 



replied, "Sure I 'm sore, and will be for some time." 
"Well/^ said I, "I am sorr}' for you and hope you will soon 
be well again/^ After an embarrassing pause I said, "And 
now, 'Mit,^ how does it stand between us? Are we to live 
in peace, or have I to look out for you and be ready to kill 
you som.e day — I want to know just what to expect?'' 




First Permanent Hospital, Later Hancock Hall. 



"Sure," said he, "don't be too hard on me; sure, only that 
I was drunk I would have no trouble wid ye." "Well," said 
I, "you are sure to get drunk again; I expect that; but it 
won't be any excuse for crossing me; you have had two 
chances with me, and I don't want to stand guard over 
myself all the time; I hold no malice toward you; don't 
anything about the past, but what of to-morrow or some 



28 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

other day when you feel like breaking some fellow's neck — 
am I to be the victim ? I want it settled." "Sure/' said 
he, "I like ye first rate, and ye '11 find me yer friend all 
the time." ''^All right," said I, "let's shake," and we did. 
From that time on he tried to be kind to me. 

Leaving out of our squad a few who could find nothing 
in life worth living unless able to procure whiskey, we had 
a remarkably good set of men, some scholars, some good 
singers and quite a smattering of theatrical talent, out of 
which was organized a so-called Thespian Society. War- 
ren Kimball, Eogers, Glennon, Miller, O'Shea, Hill, "Lit- 
tle" Duffy and others made up the actors, and gave a per- 
formance once a week durinsf Februarv and March in our 
dining-room. A little assistance came from "K," but the 
"detachment" contained more genius in that line than the 
balance of the Post. All officers and ladies at the Post 
came to the performances. 

"K" Troop was commanded by Captain and Brevet 
Major Caleb Carlton, a fine officer and strict disciplinar- 
ian; he had a good troop and fine non-commissioned offi- 
cers. How he happened to have a thief and all around 
tough for a first sergeant I never knew. When this ser- 
geant deserted he was succeeded by a fine man, and my 
friend Wagner ^vas made coTporal. Two 3^ears later he 
was m.ade first sergeant, and soon after a relative died in 
Baltimore, leaving him a large fortune, and the Secretary 
of War discharged him so that he might look after it. On 
his return from New Mexico, on his way East, he spent 
one night with me at Fort Leavenworth, where I had be- 
come first sergeant of B Troop. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 29 

FORT LEAVE^rWOPiTH AS I SAW IT IN" 1849. 

At the corner of what is now Kearney Avenue and 
Sumner Place, the south end on Kearney Avenue and west 
front on Sumner Place, stood a two-story brick building 
with wide front porches abo^ve and below, used as dragoon 
quarters — the building that our detachment occupied. Im- 
mediately north of this, fronting the same way, was a sim- 
ilar building — "K" troop quarters.* Eunning east from 
the southeast corner of first mentioned building was a stone 
wall with portholes looking south. A two-story bloclv 
house stood a little south of the east end of the wall. South- 
east of the block house, about where the chapel now stands, 
was the sutler's store, kept by Colonel Hiram Rich. There 
is a marked contrast between an old-time army sutler's 
store and a church, especially if both be first-class. South 
of the store was the parsonage, in those days occupied by 
Chaplain Kerr. The house was of logs, and still stands, 
with several additions, and all covered like a frame house. 
A little west of the parsonage, across what is now Scott 
Avenue, was the residence of Colonel Eich. Southeast 
01 that was the home of the veteran Ordnance Sergeant 
Fleming. • 

*These two buildings were the first permanent structures 
of the Post occupied by troops, and were built in the early 
'40's. Later they were used as the headquarters for the De- 
partment of the Missouri, where Sheridan, Hancock and Pope 
commanded. In 1881 the buildings were vacated by the head- 
quarters and fitted up for quarters for student officers for the 
Infantry and Cavalry School, established the same year. 
Two years ago these buildings were torn down, and the site 
has been chosen for the Administration Building of the Post, 
which is to be erected at an early day. — [Editor.] 



30 



FIYE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



At the northeast corner of what is now Snmner Place 
stood a one-story and basement building fronting west, 
nsed as officers' quarters. It is still standing, with another 
story added. On the opposite corner, north side, fronting 
south on Sumner Place and parade ground, was another 
building used as officers' quarters, since rebuilt and much 




First Permanent Officers' Quarters (North Side.) 

enlarged. West of that was the l)est building at the Post, 
then the commanding officer's quarters, very much the 
same as it now is, though enlarged and improved from time 
to time. The last three buihlings referred to, and the logs 
in the parsonage, and the wall, are all that is left of the 
Post of 1849. Between the commanding officer's quar- 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON- 31 

ters and the northwest corner of what is now Sumner 
Place, fronting south toward the parade ground, were 
four or five buildings used as officers' quarters. West of 
the parade ground, on what is now a part of McClellan 
Avenue, fronting east, were four or five one-story and 
basement buildings generally used as quarters for soldiers' 
families or citizen employees. 

Between the first above mentioned brick building and 
south end of west row of 1)ui1 dings stood a row of log sta- 
bles — ^six, I think — main entrance in end fronting south 
on what is now Kearney Avenue, which was then a thor- 
oughfare from the steamboat landing west out on to the 
plains. Each stable was about 36x100 feet. Immediately 
north of these stables, south of the middle of the parade- 
ground, was a magazine, mostly underground, over which 
a sentinel was always posted. 

I have mentioned all of the buildings around the 
parade ground as it then was, and all south of the stone 
wall. West of the line of stables and south end of west 
line of buildings stood "Bedlam"— correctly named— a 
large two-story frame, with front and back porches and 
stone basement. It was the quarters of unmarried offi- 
cers, with an officers' mess attached. (A lieutenant in 
those days would be content with one room, and all of 
his furniture would not be worth twenty-five dollars.) 
'I'was here they foug^ht their battles o'er, from West 
I'oint and the girls they left behind them, through the 
swamps of Florida, the wilds of Texas, over the great 
plains, the mountains, on the Pacific Slope and the fields 
of Mexico. 'Twas here they met after tedious campaigns, 

3— 



32 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

recountered their triumphs, disappointments and hard- 
ships; through heat, cold, hunger and disease — and now 
the feast, if not always of reason, at least the flow of 
soul — and other things. 

Southeast of ^'Bedlam" about one hundred yards stood 
the guard-house, an unmerciful dungeon, stone basement 
and heavy log superstructure. Southwest of the guard 
house and south of ^'Bedlam'' stood the hospital, built of 
brick, with porches all around, and quite comfortable. On 
the ridge, about where the riding school now is, was a block 
house similar to the one heretofore mentioned. Where the 
hop room now is stood a one-story stone building, used 
as commissary and quartermaster storerooms and offices, 
about one hundred feet on what is now McPherson Avenue 
by about fifty feet on what is now Scott Avenue. A little 
northwest of this a two-story stone building, now emb ace 1 
in the Military Prison, was built in 1850 and used as quar- 
termaster's stores and offices. Still farther north, covering 
the ground beyond the buildings now composing the south 
front of the Military Prison, were a few homes of em- 
ployees, the wagon, blacksmith, carpenter, saddler, and other 
shops and quartermaster's stables and corrals. Also scat- 
tered here and there were a few small houses ; at the steam- 
boat landing a warehouse. The flagstaff and sundial stood 
just south of the west end of the present hop room. There 
was generally a sentinel posted there, and it was said that 
a sergeant of the guard regulated his watch by the dial 
on his rounds with the midnight relief. 

This is as correct an account as I can give from mem- 
ory of Fort Leavenworth fifty-six years ago. 



PART II. 




T 



HE road from Fort Leaven- 
worth to N'ew Mexico ran 
through what is now Easton, at the 
crossing of Stranger Creek; then 
through what is now Winchester, Oza- 
kee at the crossing of Grasshopper, 
now Delaware Eiver and Soldier Creek, 
four miles north of where now stands 
Topeka. There it crossed the Kaw on 
Papan^s Ferry, ahont sixty miles from 
Fort Leavenworth, thence to Council 
Grove, sixty miles farther, intersect- 
ing the main Santa Fe trail from 
Independence, Missouri, east of the Grove. 

To reach the "Oregon Trail,'' T quote from General 
Cook's "Scenes and Adventures in the Army," page 283 : 
"We followed for two days the tr.ails of former marches, 
guiding us through the intricate and broken bnt picturesque 
grounds which border the Missouri. rhe third day we 
struck ont boldly into the almost untrodden prairie, bear- 
ing quite to the west. The sixth day, having marched about 
ninety miles, we turned towards the south, crossing a vast 
elevated and nearly level plain, extending between two 
branches of the Blue Eiver. Thus without an obstacle for 
fifteen miles, we Teached and encamped upon its banks. 
The seventh day, leaving the Blue and turning to the north- 
west, between two tributaries from that direction, we soon 



34 FIVE FEARS A DRAGOON. 

ospied on a distant ridge the wagon tops of emigrants; 
gradually converging, in a few hours we met. Here was a 
great thoroughfare, broad and well worn, the longest and 
best natural road perhaps in the world." 

The above had reference to the route taken by Colonel 
Kearney in his cajupaign' to the Kocky Mountains and back 
in 1845. 

Sometimes Government travel crossed the Missouri 
Eiver at the Fort, went up on north side to about opposite 
the mouth of the Platte and thence up that stream. St. 
Joseph, Missouri, had become an important outfitting and 
starting-point for trips across the plains, and a good road 
ran southwest from that place, crossing the Big Blue where 
is now Marysville, Kansas. 

Major Ogden, then quartermaster at Fort Leaven- 
worth, was ordered to lay out a road from that point to 
interseet this St. Joe road. He employed a lot of Kicka- 
poo Indians as guides, with a negro named Morgan, who 
lived with them, as interpreter. A detachment of B Troop 
came in from Fort Kearney with the mail, and with ours, 
less two men who had deserted, and some infantry recruits 
en route to Kearney and Laramie, acted as escort to Major 
Ogden's road surveying party, and a number of oiRcers and 
their families en route to Kearney and Laramie. 

We left Fort 'Leavenwoirth on the 2d of April, 1850. 
The first night out we camped at the springs near where 
Lowemont, Kansas, is now located. We followed the mil- 
itarv' road to Santa Fe about eight miles, and from there 
to the intersection of the St. Joe road about one hundred 
and twenty miles; we followed the divides on account of 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 3 5 

excessive wet weather, heading, or crossing near the head 
of the streams running northeast into the Missouri and 
those running southeast into the Kaw, crossing the Dela- 
ware where is now Kiimekuk, the N'eniaha where is now 
Seneca, intersecting the road from St. Joe between Seneca 
and Marysville. 

Of the officers en route to Iveamey and Laramie on 
this trip, I remember only Colonel Loomis, of the Sixth 
Infantry, Captain Wharton of the Sixth Infantry and fam- 
ily, and Captain Dyer of the Artillery, who was. Chief of 
Ordnance during the war between the States. 

Major Ogden and the Kickapoos left us at the cross- 
ing of the Blue and returned to Fort Leavenworth. We 
arrived at Fort Kearney and joined our troop in due time. 
Captain and Brevet Major K. H. Chilton* command- 
ed the post and troop. Of all troops in the service this, 
its members claimed, was the most distinguished. Its first 
captain was E. V. Sumner, major-general during the War 
of the Eebellion. It had been continually in the Indian 
country or ]\Io.\ico since its organization. It had many 
traditions of lurd campaigns, skirmishes, night attacks by 
Indians, battles, cold, heat, hunger and feasting, from the 
Missouri Kiver to Old Mexico, through Texas and all of 
the Indian Territory from Missouri to Utah and from Min- 
nesota to Texas; and now it was located in the heart of 

*Robert Hall Chilton was a native of Virgfinia and a 
graduate of the M.A. in 1837. He was assigned to the First 
Dragoons, became major and paymaster in 1854 and resigned 
April 29, 1861, to enter the Confederate States army. He was 
appointed brigadier-general, serving on the staff of General 
Robert E. Lee as adjutant general. He died February 18, 1879. 



36 FtVi: YEARS A DRAGOON- 

the Pawnee country. At that time the Pawnees were the 
most dangerous of an}^ Indians on the overland trail to 
California. Its last battle was the fall before on the Lit-- 
tie Blue Biver where a dozen men were wounded, one fatal- 
ly, and a dozen or more horses killed or wounded. A num- 
ber of Indians were killed and many wounded. 

Soon after the battle above referred to, Major Chilton 
became aware of the presence of some Pawnees on an island 
in the Platte about two miles from the post, and took 
twenty men with him, intending to surround, and make 
them prisoners. His orders were emphatic not to shoot — 
he wanted prisoners so as to induce the tribe to come in 
and make terms that would insure peace and safety to the 
immense emigration sure to move over the trail to Cali- 
fornia the following spring. After a good deal of skirmish- 
ing through tall grass, wild grape vines and willows. Ser- 
geant Martin, Corporals Half and Cook and Bugler Peel 
found four Indians on a dry sandy branch of the river and 
attempted to carry out the Major's instructions by motion- 
ing to the Indians to lay down their arms, which they 
"showed a determination not to do. One ran up a dry 
branch followed by HafI, who soon shot him. Another ran 
towards a tall cottonwood with Cook after him. At the 
tree the Indian stopped with his back to it ready to fire. 
Cook had him so closely covered with cocked pistol, not 
twenty feet away that the Indian was afraid to lower his 
gun, and Cook parleyed with him by signs to induce him 
to lay it down, but all to no purpose. Finally his robe 
dropped from his shoulders. Cook knew this meant a des- 
perate condition of the Indian's mind, and as he gave his 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 



37 




General Stephen W. Kearney. 

filial war-whoop and dropped the muzzle of his gun, Cook 
fired. The Indian fell dead, his rifle being discharged so 
near the same time that but one report was heard. Cook's 



Og FIVPj TEARS A DRAGOON- 

bullet entered the Indian's mouth without hitting a tooth 
and came out at the back of his head. Cook was unhurt 
and sat coolly reloading his pistol when Major Chilton 
and half a dozen men rode up, and the Major cried out, 
^'Who killed that Indian?" "I did/' said Cook, ramming 
clown his cartridge. "Why didn't you make him lay down 
his arms?" Poor Cook felt terribly outraged; he had risk- 
ed his life trying to obey orders, and angrily said, "Why, 
he wouldn't lay down his arms." At this juncture Bugler 
Peel rode up, and saluting the Major reported that Ser- 
geant Martin had been killed. Martin was the oldest sol- 
dier in the troop, had served with the Major in Mexico, 
and was a great favorite. Peel reported that after Half 
and Cook had left him and Martin, one Indian escaped in 
the brush while Martin was trying to carry out the Major's 
orders, and Peel seeing that the other Indian was about to 
fire, shot him near the heart and he fell on his face, im- 
luediately raised himself on one elbow, fired, and shot 
Martin through the heart, and fell dead. Martin fell from 
his horse and was borne back to the post to a soldier's 
grave, a victim of obedience to orders. If he had taken 
Peel's advice all four of the Indians would have been 
killed and ^fartin would have lived to aid in the discipline 
of the troop. 

Tlie percentage of good material for mounted service 
in our squad of recruits was fully equal to that found in 
. the troop when we joined, all the advantage being in ex- 
perience and discipline, and my sailor experience led me 
to believe the latter not very complete. A man ordered to 
do a tiling on board of a ship did not stop to think of the 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 39 

reason why, but moved promptly, if he was not waiting for 
a "rope's encV' to catch him, which, or something worse, 
was sure to follow the slightest hesitation to ol>ey orders. 
The life of the ship and all on board might and often 
does depend on quick ol>edience. The man who walks the 
quarter-deck is a prince supreme, and subordinates see 
that his will is executed — no friction and no questioning 
authority. 

However, the troop as I remember it, was more than 
equal to any 1 met afterwards during my enlistment. Two 
of our detachment transferred to the infantry during the 
first year because of their inability to ride. There was so 
much old material in '"B,'' that the riew Avas soon moulded 
into fair shape. The recruits got horses and drilled indus- 
triously. One hour mounted drill before breakfast gave us 
appetites to eat the slice of bread and boiled pork with 
pepper, vinegar and colfee. Boiled beef and soup (bean or 
rice) for dinner. Plenty of beef, because the contractor 
killed buffalo instead of domestic cattle, and gave us all 
we wanted. 

And now it was the middle of May. The road was 
lined with white wagons, herds of cattle, horses and mules 
en route to California and Oregon. Some stock had been 
run oif by Pawnees, some robberies committed and a few 
venturesome hunters said to have been killed. Major Chil- 
ton sent old Jeffries, the interpreter, into the Pawnee vil- 
lages to induce the Indians to come in and have a "talk." 
Jeffries was a negro who came into the Pawnee country 
when a boy with Mr. Sarpie, or Sarpa, of St. Louis, an 
Indian trader, and had been there more than tliirty years. 



,Q FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON- 

He was very reliable and useful, because the Indians be- 
lieved what he told them. A number came m, but a strong- 
hand that ranged on the Kepublican River, south of Kear- 
ney, did not coniG. Tire main villages on Wood Eiver and 
Loup Fork, north of the Platte, did not show up. The talk 
with those who did come in lasted several days, during 
which they feasted, danced and indulged in sham battles. 
The chiefs made fine promises, and the Major made threats 
of what he would do if the road was not left clear for 
emigration. 

Then the troop went in search of the band that re- 
fused to come in. Southeast to the Little Blue, about 
forty miles south to the Republican, up that river one hun- 
dred and fifty miles, several times in hot pursuit of the 
delnquent Paw. e.s, the tioop marched and finally brought 
them to a parley. This was a strong band, but had few 
horses. That is why we caught up with them. Another 
reason, we were driving them into the Cheyenne and Sioux 
country, and they were afraid of being caught between two 
fires. The Sioux and Cheyennes were perfectly friendly 
with the whites at this time. Major Chilton's movements 
were with a view of driving the Pawnees in that direction 
and he succeeded well. Jeffries got the chiefs to come into 
camp for a talk. The Indians were much frightened, be- 
cause they were the bad lot. were guilty of outrages, and 
now they were where the dragoons had the advantage. 
Finally Major Chilton held the head chief and another and 
told them to instruct their people to be at Fort Kearney 
en a certain day and to notify all the other bands to be 
there for a "big talk," and if they were not there he would 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON- 41 

"turn loose" on the whole nation and "wipe them off the 
face of the earth," a favorite expression of his when talk- 
ing to bad Indians. The next day we saw the Pawnees go- 
ing northeast at a rapid rate, and a few hours later met a 
war party of Cheyennes, the finest band I ever saw — about 
300 — well mounted and equipped. One would think them 
all picked -men, from twenty to forty years old — perfect 
specimens of the finest and handsomest Indians on the 
plains, in war naint, fierce and confident-looking — coming 
down to fight the Pawnees, and if we had driven the latter 
twenty miles farther west these mortal enemies would 
have met. The Cheyennes had a band of extra horses; 
but were without women or other encumbrance. Evidently 
some Pawnee scouts had discovered the Cheyennes with- 
out being seen by them, hence the Pawnees' hurry in get- 
ting away. Our prisoners and old Jeffries were kept out 
of sight in a wagon while the Major held a big sign talk 
with the Cheyenne chief and a few braves, and persuaded 
them to go no farther east, but to go north across the 
Platte to Wood Kiver, where he thought the most of the 
Pawnees were. This was true, and the Major knew that 
if worried by the Cheyennes they would be more likely to 
come in, and seeing their -peril from Cheyennes and troops 
would come down humbly for the sake of Government 
protection. And thus it worked, the Cheyennes little 
dreaming of the good they were doing. 

Major Chilton's movement on this short campaign had 
been bold strategy, as I view it after so many years, and 
the fortunate meeting with the Cheyennes helped his cause 



42 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 

very much. We were out about three weeks, during which 
time we traveled about four hundred miles without forage 
other than grass. In two wagons we carried tents and half- 
rations, so that half of our living consisted of fresh meat— 
mostly buffalo, of which there was an abundance. We had 
no sickness except a few cases of diarrhoea and a little 
fever. The principal medicines in the Major's "case" were 
opium, salts and quinine. About seventy men in the party, 
liable to accidents and casualties of battle, and no doctor. 
And here I will say, once for all, that with the exception 
of the trip to Mexico in 185-1 and the treaty at mouth of 
Horse Creek in 1851, in my whole five years of service while 
on the plains, every summer on a long campaign, liable to 
battle and always expecting it, we never had a doctor. Let 
soldiers of to-day congratulate themselves on the liberal- 
ity of the Government, the humanity and Christianity of 
the Red Cross, and the universal demand that soldiers 
have every comfort that our modern civilization affords. 

Our horses at the end of this campaign were, with few 
exceptions, in good condition. The horse of the dead ser- 
geant (Martin), the beautiful chestnut isorrel, trained by a 
level-headed, painstaking soldier, was mine, and the best in 
the troop. 

According to Major Chilton's calculation, in about ten 
days nearly all the Pawnees were near Fort Kearney, and 
the ensuing pow-wow lasted several days, during which the 
Indians were made to understand the greatness, goodness 
and power of the white race, and of the Great Father in 
Washington in particular, and how wicked, ungrateful and 
foolish the Pawnees were to disturb the white man or in- 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON- 43 

terfere with his peaceful travel through the country in any 
^yay — all winding up with solemn promises and a grand 
feast. Of course I took great interest in this new experi- 
ence and made the most of it as opportunities offered. I 
learned much from old Jeffries, and sympathized a great 
deal with these wily, devilish fellows, who were at war 
with all the wild tribes — constantly on guaTd against 
the Sioux, Chevennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas and Comanches 
on the west and south of them. I am sure that Major 
Chilton's administration of affairs about Kearney settled 
the Pawnees so far as their hostility to the whites was 
concerned, with the exeception of the lawlessness of 
small bands of young bucks once in a while along the 
Little Blue. 

And now the road was crowded with emigration west — 
long trains of wagons, herds of cattle, etc. I got Lieu- 
tenant Stanbury's map and list of distances and copied the 
distances. One day an emigrant inquircid about the route 
and I handed him my list. He insisted upon buying it of 
me and I let him keep it. I told J3ugler Grant, and we 
went into partnership. T wrote the guides, he sold them, 
and we soon divided over $50 between us. 

The middle of July three of the best men in the troop— 
a sergeant, the farrier and a bugler deserted, taking horses 
and equipments. Corporal Cook and others followed them 
a hundred and fifty miles west and brought back the horses, 
but not the men or equipments. There was much excite- 
ment in the troop, and two weeks later another good man 
deserted, taking two horses. He seemed to have had a 
citizen confederate. Cook followed and brought back the 



^^ FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 

horses, but nothing else. Up to this time there had been 
one sentinel at the stable, which was two hundred feet 
long and forty feet wide, built of sod, with three doors at 
each end and one in center of building on each side — open 
windows on both sides about thirty feet apart. Of course 
no sentinel could get around fast enough to watch all of 
these openings in this large building, and this fact at last 
dawTied upon the Major, and thereafter the quartermaster 
sergeant and one company teamster slept in the stable, and 
two men — ^both infantr}- — walked post, showing that the 
Major was not trusting his troop. He was doing what 
ought to have been done all the time, for with the Cali- 
fornia fever then prevailing, the constant stream of em- 
igrants passing, these horses weTe too much of a tempta- 
tion to be resisted by men who would, under any circum- 
stances, desert. There were no desertions from the 
infantry. 

In October, 1850, the troop moved to Fort Leavenworth, 
and occupied the quarters used by our detadhment the pre- 
vious winter. Major Theophilus Holmes, with four com- 
panies of the Seventh Infantry, came about the same time 
that "B" troop did, and left in the spring. Like all I saw 
of the Sixth, the Seventh was a well disciplined, well be- 
haved organization. 

The Kaw Indians near Council Grove had been com- 
mitting some depredations — stealing horses and other- 
wise making theniselves troublesome — and in January; 
1851, ]\Iajor Chilton, with about fifty men of his troop went 
to Council Grove, a hundred and twenty miles, had a "big 
talk," took four of the principal chiefs of the Kaw Na- 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



45 



tion prisorters and brought them to Fort Leavenworth. 
About half of the men on this trip were more or less frost- 
bitten, several of them severely. It was a horrible trip for 
men so poorly provided for a two hundred and forty mile 




Major David H. Hastings. 

march in such severe weather. Overshoes, mittens, gloves, 
leggings or other extra wraps were not then provided by 
the Government, nor kept for sale, and men made for them- 
selves out of old blankets, skins, pieces of old canvas and 



^g FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 

cast-off clothing, anything that necessity prompted them 
to invent for protection from the bitter cold. Not a house 
between Fort Leavejiworth and Papan's Ferry across the 
Kaw, sixty miles, and none between the ferry and Coun- 
cil Grove— the whole country an expanse of snow. Plenty 
of fuel in every camp, and fires kept burning all night. 
The horses were huddled together in best sheltered places 
and fires built to windward so that the rays of heat would 
float towards them. Com was hauled for them, and as 
there was no hay, cottonwood trees were felled to browse 
on, the limbs trimmed off and piled befoTe them. Noth- 
ing was left undone that could be done under the circum- 
stances for the comfort of men and horses, but with all 
that there was great suffering. 

On the 17th of March, 1851, I was promoted to cor- 
poral. 

About this time Second Lieutenant D. H. Hastings* 
joined "B" Troop. He brought with him a fine reputa- 
tion for long and faithful service, and looked every inch 
an officer to be respected. He served many years as a first 
sergeant, won his commission in the Mexican War, where 
one heel was shot off, and he wore a cork one. A man of 
iron will and nerve, he wa? all that a good soldier could 
wisb in a good officer. 

'VUg April following Major Sackfield Macklin, paymas- 

*David H. Hast" n^s was born in Ireland, and appointed 
second lieutentant, First Dragoons, in 1848. He had served as 
an enlisiod man in Company B, Second Infantry, Company K. 
Third Artillery, and Company A, Engineer Corps. He retired 
in December, 1863, and died September 22, 1882. He was the 
father of Mrs. Morton, the wife of Major A. G. Morton, Sixth 
Infantry. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 47 

ter TJ. S. A., left Fort Lea^^enworth for Forts Kearney and 
Laramie to pay off troops, and carried with him the money 
necessary for that purpose. I never knew the amount, hut 
as there were two companies of Sixth Infantry at Kearney, 
and one of Sixth Infantry and three of mounted rifles (now 
Third Cavalry) at Laramie, and the ^verage in each com- 
pany about sixty men, and when we reached them there 
would be six or eight months^ pay due, the amount carried 
must have been quite large, though soldiers then averaged 
but about half as much pav as they get now — $8 per month 
for mounted privates, $7 for infantry ($1 per month re- 
tained from privates until end of enlistment), corporals 
$10, sergeants $13, first sergeants $16. The escort con- 
sisted of one corporal and seven privates from "B" Com- 
pany, Sixth Infantry, and a corporal and three privates 
from "B" Ttoop, First Dragoons. Of the infantry I re- 
member only the name of the corporal — Barney Dun- 
nigan, a thoroughly good, intelligent, reliable young Irish- 
man; his whole detail was remarkably good. The dragoon 
detail consisted of Corporal Lowe and Privates Charles 
McDonald, John Eussel, and Edward O'Meaia. The 
personnel of the last three was remarkable among en- 
listed men of those days. They enlisted about one year 
ahead of me, hence had greatly the advantage in expe- 
rience. O'Meara had been wounded in the battle of the 
Blue in the fall of 1849, losing two front teeth knocked 
out by an arrow that cut his lip badly. He was the only 
man I ever saw whose beauty was not marred by the loss 
of front teeth. The scat on his lip made his smile all 

the more attractive. He was an Irish lawyer; by birth, 
4— 



^ FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

•8 

education and instinct a gentleman. The troubles of 1848 
drove him to America; he secured a position as clerk 
in a law office in New York and seemed to he well started 
on the road to prosperity, when some of his young college 
chums, in this country for the same reason that he Was, 
determined to enlist in the army for want of something 
better, and he went with them. This man, this private sol- 
dier, entering upon his third year of campaigning, possessed 
one 'of the most genial, kindly and attractive temperaments 
I ever knew. His reading and travel had made him a most 
companionable man. With the opportunities now afforded 
he would have stood an examination and been commis- 
sioned. But there was no such privileges in his time. 
Eiissel was a Philadelphian, a printer and jolly jokeT, had 
been a sergeant, and volunteered to go on this trip to 
get awav from the troop and temptation. He was the 
eldest of the party, as I was the youngest. McDonald was 
a New Yorker, of Irish parentage, and was a genius — a 
fine draughtsman and caricaturist. Not a man of our 
party escaped his pencil. If these three men lacked any- 
thing to insure a bright future, it was the strong will 
and sound judgment to act independently — to blaze the 
way and decide their own destiny. 

Our transportation consisted of the Major's four-mule 
ambulance for himself and clerk (Mr. Reed), one six-mule 
t<'ain for the infantry and their baggage and provisions, O'ue 
six-mule team for the dragoons' forage, provisions and teni 
and the Major's baggage and servant. The Major had a 
wall tent and Hy for himself and clerk, and a small cook 
t^nt. The dragoons had one A tent and infantry two,^ In 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 49 

all, the Major, hi? clerk and servant, three teamsters, eight 
infantry, four dragoons, eighteen. Sixteen mules and four 
horses. Not a very large escort to take so much money 300 
miles to Fort Kearney and 350 more to Laramie. As I 
ranked my friend Punnigan by a few days in our apoint- 
ment the Major gave his orders to me. He was a pleasant, 
even-tempered man, under whom it was a pleasure to 
serve, and on the whole trip I never heard him complain. 
Having seen enough of his escort to satisfy himself thai 
all duty would be carefully attended to, he was content. 

There was no boistrous rowdyism, but the dragoon camp, 
with O'Meara in tragedy, "Sallie" Eussel in comedy, and 
McDonald as scenic artit^t, was the center of attraction. The 
infantry had several fair singers, every one could tell a 
story, and the time passed merrily away from dinner, as 
soon as pTacticable after coming into camp, until bed time, 
soon after dark. We were on the road about 7:00 and in 
camp between 1 :00 and 3 :00. Our animals had no forage 
other than grass after the first week. There was much 
rain during the first part of the journey, roads bad, no 
bridges over streams and mud holes, sometimes doubling 
teams and at others hitching lariat ropes on each side 
of wagon bed and all hands helping to pull, our progress 
was slow. 

After noon of the fifth day we reached Walnut Creek 
about fifty-five miles northwest of Fort Leavenworth. We 
had no rain during the day and did not expect to find the 
creek high, and though it was running banlv full and one 
hundred feet wide, caused by rains higher up the creek, 
none of us seemed to remember that its bed was very deep. 



5Q FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 

I rode forward to feel the way across, and though very cau- 
tious and slow in my movements my horse suddenly began 
to slide and in a moment nofhing but my head was above 
water. But tlie noble animal being a well trained swimmer 
came up as suddenly as he went down and struck out boldly 
for the oposite shore, which he inade safely about one hun- 
dred yards lower down. Though I had navigated the quick- 
sands of the Platte and Eepublican and had been in water 
so deep that my horse had to s^^nm from one sandbar to 
another, this was my first experience in swimming a horse 
in a rapidly flowing stream, and the venture was so sudden 
that the good horse-sense of the noble brute under me was 
my only salvation. In that minute of peril to ]>oth of us, I 
thought of all the rules of action in similar emergencies that 
1 had ever heard, the main point being to cling to the mane 
and the saddle and leave the horse as free as possible, guid- 
ing him only to give the right direction. In this case the 
current took him on to a sloping bank in tlie bend oi the 
creek, where he landed easily. Tf 1 had expected to swim 1 
should have divested myself of saber and belts, pistol, car- 
bine, and every unneccessary thing, even to outer clothing, 
and strapped all firmly on my saddle. If the west bank had 
been steep as the east bank was, rider and horse would have 
been lost, unless some projecting limb gave me a chance to 
escape. All was so sudden and so quickly over that my 
comrades had scarcely time to think, as they expressed it, 
thougli they instinctively spurred their horses down the east 
))ank in hopes to assist me. Immediately on landing I dis- 
eliarged my pistol and carbine so that the water would not 
soak in under the percussion cap to the powder. The Major 



FtVE TEARS A DRAGOON- 51 

and the dragoons knew why I did it, but it added to the ex- 
citement of others who were without experience. 

The Major went into eau^p to wait until the creek run 
dowTi. I stripped everything from my horse except the 
h^ad halter and lariat, and from myself everything except 
underclothes, and cached them with my arms in some thick 
brush. Then I looked carefully for a good place to cross. 
The east bank was such that I must land at the road or 
my horse could not get out. The current was so swift 
that if carried below the road I must go down stream. 
No one could throw a lariat across, and the men took 
the small ropes from the ends of the wagon covers, 
knotted them together, tied a stone to one end, care- 
fully coiled the rope close to the bank and stalwart, 
broad-shouldered Corporal Dunnigan threw it to me. 
I was afraid to trust the small rope to null on and told 
the men to tie several lariats together and to the east 
end of small rope^, which they did, and I hauled them over 
ard tied to the end of my lariat, and they hauled the rope 
taut on the east side. I then rode to the edge of the stream 
some distance above where I must land, the men in the 
meantime keeping the rope taut and ready to quickly haul 
in all slack. I stuck my toes in behind the horse's elbow 
joints, and taking a firm hold of the mane with my left 
hand, urged the horse with my right, and he plunged in 
and struck the landing nicely; but he could not have stem- 
med the current, and, slippery and steep as it was, he 
could not have carried me out without the assistance of 
the men at the ropes. The Major stood by and watched 



go FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 

carefully to see that no mistakes were made, but did not 
interfere. By this time the Major's and the infantry camp 
had good fires. The water was cold that April day, and 
I was thoroughly chilled. After washing in hot water and 
putting on dry clothes, I drank hot coffee and ate a good 
dinner with the infantry, and as my comrades had been 
devoting their time to me, they too were fed. Of course 
I was congratulated very much, not the least by the 
Major and Mr. Eeed. I deserved little credit, but rather 
censure, and said so, for not dismounting and trying the 
crossing of that swift running stream with a pole or 
stone on a rope — anything to make sure of what I was 
undertaking. 

There is no place on earth where a man gets fuller cretl- 
lor every reasonable effort, or where exposure to danger is so 
liberally rewarded as among his comrades in the army. That 
little adventure became one of the traditions of '^'B" 
Troop, and lost nothing in the telling. McDonald had it 
down in good shape on paper, and while all three of them 
would hatch a joke at my expense, it was always in a 
way that left no sting. 

These prairie streams run down as quickly as they rise, 
and by noon the next day we crossed with little difficulty, 
more than doubling teams and all hands at ropes, and camp- 
ed on the west side. 

Except continuous rains and bad creek crossings we had 
no more dilliculty until we reached Big Blue River, now 
MarysviUe, about 150 miles from Fort Leavenworth. We 
found it bank full-a wide turbulent torrent, and no pros- 
pect of Its running down. The Major was anxious to get 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON- 53 

oVer and seelned to think we couM make a raft on which to 
lash one or two wagon beds and cross over a little at a time, 
and finally swim the animals. I set about getting some dry 
logs and lashing them together. ^ly comrades, of greater 
experience, could see no use in our efforts, though they took 
hold wherever I asked them to, but I worked with energy 
all afternoon and fell into the river several times. I went to 
camp thoroughly exhausted and wet; was going to change 
my clothes, but lay down in the tent and fell asleep. The 
next morning when T awoke the sun was high. I heard my 
comrades talking by the camp-fire wondering how I slept so 
long. My head seemed perfectly clear, but I could neither 
speak nor move, though in no physical pain. Russel looked 
in and seeing my eyes open, spoke. Jleceiving no answer, 
he came nearer and spoke again ; then he was alarmed, and 
reported to the Major, who came to the tent, spoke to me, 
felt my pulse, raised me up, put a flask of brandy to my lips, 
a little at a time, in the meantime a man at each limb rub- 
bing, me thoroughly. I made a spasmodic effort, turned 
over on my side, circulation seemed restored, and soon I 
could speak. Having been thoroughly rubbed and properly 
clotlied, I could sit up, and before night could help myself in 
a feeble way. The Major told jne not to worry about any- 
tliing, he would wait. I doubt if any doctor could have 
treated me better. In the meantime some large freight 
trains came along, stretched a rope across the river, lashed 
two large wagon beds together, and in a few days ferried 
over fifty wagons and their contents, and our little outfit — 
all the animals, oxen, mules and horses being compelled to 
swim. 



g. FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

Major Dougherty, of Clay County, Missouri, en route to 
Kearney and Laramie, where he was post trader, camped 
near us, and a young negro man belonging to him fell into 
the river and was drowned. The Major had raised the boy, 
his mother belonging to him and employed in his family, 
and he felt keenly the distress that the news would bring to 
his household. 

Having crossed the Blue and left the danger of bad roads 
and high water behind, Ave made good time. I had recuper- 
ated a good deal, but was weak and feverish. The Major, in 
the goodness of his heart, made me ride in the ambulance 
more than half of the time the balance of the way, while he 
Tode my horse to Kearney, where we spent several days. 
Captain Wharton, Sixth Infantry, commanded the post. 

From Kearney to Ijaramie, 350 miles, the journey was 
pleasant. At the crossing of the South Platte we met sever- 
al caravans of trappers and traders hauling furs and hides 
to the Missouri Eiver. These outfits were more remarkable 
as showing how nmch a man can make of a little than for 
their elegance. These men had picked up broken down and 
abandoned emigrant wagons, crudely repaired and made a 
large number of carts and wagons, which enabled them to 
move great quantities of goods to steamboat navigation, 
tbcir motive power being oxen that they had found broken 
down and abandoned or had traded for with the emigrants 
the year l)efore. This was to them luxurious transporta- 
tion, for until the heavy emigration of 1849 there had been 
})ut few cattle in the country. Heretofore traders and trap- 
pers had worked their way down the Platte and Missouri in 
bull boats during high water in May or June, or packed on 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 55 

mules or ponies. We were fortunate in meeting these car- 
avans at the crossing. Here I learned a good lesson in navi- 
gating a quicksand river. We reached the crossing on the 
south side and camped as the traders^ trains went into camp 
on the north side. The river was quite deep for the Platte, 
caused by melting snow in the mountains, half a mile wide 
and from one to four feet deep — quicksand bottom. To- 
wards evening several of the traders rode over to our camp 
to "try the river/' as they said. 'Twas here T first met Maj- 
or Fitzpatrick, "Tim" Goodale, John Smith, and other 
celebrities with well established reputations as traders, trap- 
pers and Indian fighters. I went with them to their camp. 
"Now," said Major Fitzpatrick, "if we should hitch up and 
start to cross with a load without beating down the quick- 
sand, thereby making a firm roadbed, we would get mired 
in the sand; one side would settle and upset the wagon, 
or the whole wagon sinl? ; in short, ^t would be impracticable 
to cross in that way. N'ow, the way to pack the sand and 
make a firm road}>ed is to travel over it with a lot of ani- 
mals until it is well beaten down, and then crosd your wag- 
ons ; the more travel over it the better the road gets. Now, 
in the morning we will have a lot of men mounted and 
drive all of our cattle over and back, keeping them as 
near together as possible, and then we will cross as fast 
as we can, giving the roadbed no rest, and a good way for 
you to do with your little outfit will be for you to follow 
us when we drive the cattle back." And this we did, 
crossing without trouble. 

Fifteen miles from the crossing of the South Platte, 
we entered Ash Hollow and struck the North Platte, up 



56 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



which we traveled to Fort Laramie, passing Court House 
Eock, Chimney Eock, Scotch Bluffs and other interesting 
points, all of which have heen so well described by Gen- 
erals Fremont, Cook and others that I need say no more 
than that no one can reahze how wonderful they are with- 
out having seen them. 




/or/' /dfd/p/e 



The Laramie Eiver is a lovely, clear mountain stream, 
about the volume of the Little Blue or Pawnee Fork ^f the 
Arkansas. The post of Fort Laramie is located on its west 
bank, above and south of where it flows into the North 
Platte. Our infantry detachment was quartered with Com- 
pany G, Sixth Infantry ; Major Macklin and his clerk were 
quartered with Captain Ketchum, commanding Company 
G and the post, and I was sent up the Laramie where the 
dragoons and teamsters with all the animals were to camp 
during our stay. Four miles above the post, on the oppo- 
site side of the river, which was fordable almost any place, 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 57 

I found a camp, as O'Meara expressed it, ''Fit for the 
gods''— one of the most lovely spots I have ever seen. We 
owed our good fortune in not being attaclied to one of the 
three troops of mounted rifles stationed at the post to the 
fact that there was no forage except grass, and that was 
eaten off close to the sandy ground for some miles, and to 
tlie fact that most of the rifles were camped out for the 
purpose of foraging their horses. That was why \ went 
so far from the post and camped on the opposite bank. 
Here the teamsters had nothing to do but take care of 
themselves, herd their mules during the .day, picket them 
out at night, and take their turn with the dragoons stand- 
ing guard. The dragoons had nothing to do except to take 
care of themselves and horses, and do their share of guard 
duty. I reported to the Major at the post every day about 
ten o'clock. 

And now followed one of the most happy months of 
my life. O'Meara described this camp in prose and poetry 
that would be fine reading to-day, but alas, in youth how 
little we think of the future ! Of all of our trip there is 
no record, not- even a morning report, as with the troop. 
That report shows Corporal Lowe and Private Russel, 
O'Meara and McDonald on detached service escorting pay- 
master to Fort Laramie, and that is all there is of one of 
the most interesting trips I ever participated in. But I 
can .see the camp now, fifty-five years later, in memory, 
lovely, green and beautiful as ever — an amiphitheater of 
rugged hills, the pure, clear river with its pebbly bottom 
running gently by, fringed with willows, orchards of box 
.elders in the bottoms, cedars and pines upon the hills, 
fragrant flowers on every hand. Any good hunter could 



58 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 



bring in a black-tailed deer in a few hours, and the river 
afforded plenty of fish. 

All of our party could cook, but McDonald was excel- 
lent, Eussel made good bread, and O'Meara, well, he was 
the epicure of the party; the coffee must be browned just 
so, a certain quantity of ground coffee to a given amount 
of water; the venison must be seasoned right, whatever 
that was, and ^twas always good. Everything was clean, 
tin cups and plates included. We had new forks at every 
meal; McDonald insisted on that, and O'Meara whittled 
them out of tough dry willow — straight sharp sticks. We 
stretched the Major's tent fly for a dining-room, drove down 
four stakes to lay the endgate of the wagon on, and that 
was our table; water-buckets and boxes for seats. Eussel 
tore a flour-sack into squares, hemmed them and put one 
at each man's plate. "Crcntlemen," he said, "must use 
napkins," and he changed them as often as was necessary. 
Another flour-sack ripped open made a table-cloth. Eus- 
sel and O'Meara? did most of the hunting, and we were 
seldom without venison. McDonald put out the hooks at 
night and was almost sure to have nice channel catfish for 
breakfast. I frequently took down a quarter of venison 
to the Major. Except reporting to him daily I made it a 
rule not to be out of sight of camp long at a time. I ex- 
plored every nook for several miles around and reveled in 
the pure air, the delicious water and the delightful scen- 
ery. We moved a short distance and made a fresh camp 
every few days for cleanliness and good grass. The Major 
gave me some papers out of the semi-monthly mail, and we 
borrowed a few books from G Company. We furnished 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 59 

our three teamsters meat and fish. One of them, "Bill" 
Anderson, was six feet four inches tall, a comical, good- 
natured Missourian. One day I sent him down to G Com- 
pany with one big buck and half of another. When he 
found the first sergeant he was on parade at guard mount- 
ing, standing at "parade rest." Anderson slouched along 
down to the sergeant and said, "See here, the boss sent 
me down with some meat and I don't know what to do 
with it ; I 'm 'feared my mules '11 git skeered when this 
here drum beats." The Sergeant said, "Well, you run 
for your mules and I '11 see you later." And Bill ran 
and got there in time to be escorted off the parade-ground 
by Captain Ketchum's order, ^dth the threat to put him 
in the guard-house if he was caught here again. This 
man stayed in Government employ, was with me in the 
Kansas war in 1856 and on the Cheyenne expedition in 
1857 — served in the volunteers in the war between the 
States, and died in the Soldiers' Home in 1900, always 
a faithful, reliable man. 

One night there was a heavy storm of rain, thunder and 
lightning, lasting till morning, when two mules were miss- 
ing. We had been in the neighborhood two weeks and 
these mules had not been out of it except when Anderson 
went with meat or for rations, and no one thought they 
would leave. O'Meara, Eussel and I mounted an-d circled 
around awhile without finding their trail. I then told 
Eussel to go down the river and O'Meara up, while I crossed 
over and struck out toward the post. They were dragging 
long lariats fastened to picket pins, and the trail ought to 



60 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



be easily found. On an old wood road haif-way to the 
post 1 found such a trail as they would make, but rain had 
fallen upon it, and if the trail of my mules, it had been 
made in the night during the storm. I followed it, pass- 
ing west of the post to the ferry across the North Platte. 
The ferryman was just up and had not seen any mules. 
He was a good-natured fellow who knew everything and 
didnt "believe no durned mule would do such a fool thing 
as ter leave camp 'n all his friends 'n pass the post 'n come 
down ter my ferry ter swim when therms er boat wait-" 
in' f er ^im.^^ However much I might respect the fer- 
ryman's knowledge of mules, the faet remained that I had 
followed this trail more than three miles. I knew a mule's 
peculiarity for following a trail when once on it, and in- 
sisted on crossing and taking a look on the other side. 
The ferryman crossed me reluctantly, protesting that I 
would have my trouble for nothing. 

Having landed, I pointed out to him the marks of two 
ropes with pins attached going up the, bank. He insisted 
that it was something else, and 1 left him, following the 
trail with ease for several miles along a broad lodge pole 
trail made by Indians. It- was as easily followed as a plain 
wagon road. Then the trail left the' road and the mules 
had grazed, zig-zagging here and there, but finally came 
into the Indian road again, and here their trial was fresh 
—made since the rain; one or two shoes were off as shown 
by the tracks. I Imew that some of our mules were in that 
condition, and felt sure that, strange as it might appear, I 
was on the right trail, and urged my horse forward rapidly 
for some time, hoping every high point I reached to see 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 61 

the mules. The farther J went tlie more mystified I was, 
for this trail ran west up the north side of North Platte— 
straight away from any place these mules had ever been, so 
far as I knew. Much of the way the trail showed that they 
were traveling at a trot; and going down some hills there 
were marks showing that occasionally a picket pin had 
caught on a tuft of grass and bounded forward several 
feet, a thing that would not occur at a walk. It was evi- 
dent they were traveling of their own free will, because 
there were no other tracks, and if ridden the lariats would 
have been gathered up and not allowed to drag. As the 
forenoon dragged along my horse advised me that I was 
asking too" much of him. I had had no breakfast, was feel- 
ing keenly the want of it, and while I must do without I 
must not destroy my horse's usefulness; and so I grazed 
him awhile, meantime taking off the saddle, smoothing 
down his back with my hand, adjusting the blanket, wash-' 
ing his legs in a pool of water, and he thanked me, the 
poor brute, for every kindly touch. 

'-^^ '^In half an hour I mounted again and started on; and 
liow I settled down to studying my horse's strength and 
doing all I could within it. The day was lovely, the land- 
scape green and beautiful, the air pure and fresh and not 
too hot— just right for a long ride. I grazed my horse a 
■ little several times, peering anxiously from the top of ev- 
ery rise. Along in the afternoon I found myself on a grad- 
ual rise going steadily up, up, for miles, the ridge ahead 
seeming little nearer for a long time. I knew that when 
I reached the top of that ridge I would see a long distance 
unless the country was broken, and so my thoughts and' 



Q2 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

eyes were forward, anticipating the scene that Avas to open. 
Coming up on the level ground my horse stopped, head 
high, nostrils distended, ears pointing forward, and every 
muscle strained to the fullest tension — mo fear, but eager- 
ness seemed 1o possess him. In the last ten miles I must 
have risen three hundred feet, most of which I would go 
down in one mile farther. Then commenced the river bot- 
tom extending as far west as T could see, and one mile wide 
from river to bluff. On this bottom an Indian camp ex- 
tending perhaps two miles along the river' — a nomadic city 
of magnificent dimensions. It was a mile to the lower end 
of this vast camp, and I looked down upon every part of 
it. Many lodges were just being put up; quite a number 
were coming in over the hills from the north. Evidently 
this was a new camp, growing larger all the time, but none 
of it had passed over the trail that I had followed. Great 
herds of horsos were grazing above and north of the camp. 
The scene before me was one of great activity, the build- 
ing of a new city, and under more pleasant circumstances 
would have fen an interesting study, but to me there was 
nothing i>leasant about it. I dismounted and rubbed 
"Chub's"* nose. I felt the need of friendly company, and 
he was all I had. 

My journey seemed to be ended. Plere I was upon the 
trail, my mules probably with one of the Indian herds, but 
could I get them? And how? I did not believe the In- 
dians would give them to me without a reward, which I 
could not give, and possibly some mourner who had lost a 
friend might try to get even by taking my scalp; this was 
a way they had of doing, and I hesitated. I could not bear 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 63 

the idea of trailing my mules to the very edge of this camp 
and then giving it up^ — ^weakening, as the boys say. But 
what hope had I of accomplishing anything? My judg- 
ment said, get back to Laramie and let the mules go; m} 
pride caused me to hesitate, and the longer I hesitated the 
firmer my pride held me. In this frame of mind I led 
my horse behind a low bluff and sat down while he grazed. 

It was now probably five o'clock. Suddenly my horse 
threw his head high as under great excitement. Without 
looking for the cause I sprang into the saddle. All around 
me were mounted Indians — twenty or more young bucks — 
bows and amows in hand. I was completely surrounded, 
and to run might insure being riddled with arrows, and so 
I put on an air of indifference, showed the trail of my 
mules, and tried to beat into their stolid heads the fact 
that I wanted them. They let me go through, the mo- 
tions for five minutes with perfect indifference. Finally 
one of them said, "Kig-e-la." Seeing that I did not un- 
derstand, he said, "Wa-se-che kig-e-la etoncha tepe," 
pointing to the Indian camp, all of which was Greek to 
me, but which I afterwards learned meant: '^'White man 
go to chief's tepe (lodge), and I drifted along with them 
in that direction. 

Having arrived at headquarters, the chief saluted me 
with, "How, how, cola, how!'' and shook hands; numerous 
others did the same. My escort melted away, and in re- 
sponse to his pantomimic invitation, I dismounted and en- 
tered his palace, where he invited me to rest on a pile of 
robes and furs. A squaw took the saddle and bridle from 
my horse and led him awav. After awhile she returned 

5— 



64 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 



with the picket pin and laid it inside the lodge. Looking 
where she laid it I saw two others, worn bright from drag- 
ging on the ground, and was sure they belonged to the 
mules. I gave special attention to the dried venison and 
buffalo laid before me, hardly realizing how' hungry I was 
until I struck that soft couch and food. A squaw brought 
me some soup, probably dog, but it was good. I had been 
twenty-four hours and had ridden all day without food. 
Women and children peeped in to gratify curiosity, and 
the warriors and braves canre and went continually. A 

circle of apparently 
distinguished men was 
formed, the chief oppo- 
site me, a pipe was light- 
ed, passed and smoked 
by all. Whatever nerv- 
ousness I had felt was 
gone. I seemed to be tak- 
ing on the stolidity of an 
Indian. Seeming to real- 
ize that I must be tired, 
the lodge was soon va- 
cated and in spite of my 
peculiar surroundings I 
slept. When I awoke it 
was dark inside, but bright fires burning outsiide all over 
the camp, and from end to end tremendous excitement. 
This was my first night with the great Sioux Nation, and 
T knew little of them, but enough to convince me that 
something exciting had occurred. I sat down outside of 



(. 







'^i^.^P 



Sioux. 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 65 

the lodge, leaning against it so that 1 could see a long dis- 
tance into the camp. The scene before me was one never 
to be forgotten — in short, it was a war dance. A war party 
of Sioux had killed six Crows and brought in their scalps ; 
but it was not all a Sioux victory, for there was mourning 
for some of the Sioux who never returned. 

I will not attempt to describe it. Not all the demons of 
the infernal region, with sulphurous torches, horns and 
cloven feet, nor anything else the imagination can picture 
could excel the beastly liuman nature here displayed. Grad- 
ually the clans joined in until the main display was near 
the chiefs headquarters ; the victors came near and shook 
the bloody scalps almost in my face as they danced and 
paraded up and down, beating tom-toms and emitting un- 
earthly yells, whether to honor or to intimidate I did not 
Icnow, but afterwards concluded that it was neither. The 
warriors just wanted to show the wa-se-che (white man) 
by the war dance what they could do, and the weeping and 
howHng of the squaws and near relatives of the dead repre- 
sented genuine grief. This din was kept up long past mid- 
night, and gradually died out froiu sheer exhaustion of the 

actors. 

On that couch of furs I fell asleep toward morning, 
and was awakened l^y the sun shining into the lodge. I sat 
up and took an inventory of my surroundings. The old 
monarch, one squaw, with baby at her breast, and a half a 
dozen youngsters — ^iDoys and girls — were asleep. An adjoin- 
ing lodge held two or three more squaws and several young- 
sters of his family; outside was a solitary squaw boiling 
some meat. From end to end the camp was silent — even 



^^ FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

00 

the thousands of dogs that had lent their aid to the hellish 
din during the night were all asleep. I came out and sat 
down; the old squaw brought me some meat from the ket- 
tle on a stick and some of the soup in a cup. I enjoyed it 
so much that she brought more, and I feasted. We seemed 
to be the only people awake. Indians never get up early 
without some special incentive; they want the dew off so 
that their moccasins will not get wet. Between seven and 
eight o'clock a couple of bucks came in from a herd driv- 
ing some horses and nmles, and as they drew near I saw 
mine. Here they came at a rattling gait, my two mules 
and horse looking little worse for the previous day's fa- 
tigue. The old squaw who gave me breakfast caught the 
lariat of my horse, led him to the lodge, reached in and 
pulled out my saddle, blanket^and bridle, while the men 
helped themselves at the kettle. The squaw was going to 
saddle my horse, but I did it to suit myself, while she chat- 
tered and laughed with the men. The people in the lodge 
came out and a few from other lodges gathered around. 
The big e-ton-cha looked as if he had spent a rollicking 
night at the club; his eyes were bloodshot and he looked 
drowsy. He and the men talked some together; he evi- 
dently asked the squaw if T had eaten plenty; went to a 
pile of dried meat, selected a lot of nice pieces and put 
them in my holster. Then he shook hands with me and 
said, "How cola, kig-e-la wa-se-che tepe." "How" was the 
common salutation on meeting or parting with white men, 
and all the English most Indians knew; the other words 
meant: "Go, friend, the white man's tepe." 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 67 

I did not stand upon the order of going, but wanted 
to reward this prince to whom I was under so many obli- 
gations. . I had on a very large red and yellow silk hand- 
kerchief, a luxury I always indulged in on the plains. 1 
often tied it around my hat and brought it around so as 
to cover my neck and most of my face to keep off the sun 
and the nestiferous gnats. If not in use any other way 
it hung loosely around my neck to keep off the sun and wipe 
away perspiration. Though it cost me $2.50 out of my 
munificent salary, I could afford it, for it was cheaper than 
whiskey at twenty-five cents a gallon. This handkerchief 
I wanted to give to the chief, placed it around his neck, 
pulled out m.y fiour-bladed knife and* put it in his han'd. I 
was the most thankful of men and anxious to prove it. If 
any one thing m^ore than another would tempt an Indian 
to commit murder or any other bad act, it would be to 
possess himself of such a beautiful handlcerchief. If I were 
in battle against Indians, I would hide such a temptation 
c^uickly, for loar that every effort would be centered upon 
destropng me to possess it. The chief felt of it, looked 
at the sun through it, rubbed it over his face and handed 
it back to me. I opened the blades of the knife; he felt 
of them slowly and said : "Wash-ta" (good), and handed 
it back. I pressed them on him, but he only said: "Was- 
e-che washta" (white man good), and declined to accept. 
I offered the handkerchief to his squaw with the suckling 
babe^ but she laughed, shook her head and would not touch 
it. I could not pay this nobleman for his hospitality, trou- 
ble and protection; I even feared that he thought less of 
me, this savage king, than if I had gone away with more 



68 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 



dignity and less patronizing display. Well, having said 
"good-bye," I coiled the lariat ropes carefully about the 
mules' necks, fastened them securely, mounted my horse 
and started. The two Indians who brought in the mules 
started with me and drove them over the bluffs where I first 
saw the camp and then said, "How," and turned back. I 
persuaded one of them to stay with me, thinking that he 
might be of service in case I met other Indians. On we 
came, dowm the long slope, m.aking what time I thought 
my horse would stand, grazing a while two or three times, 
and reached the ferry while the sun was an hour high. I 
fully expected my Indian friend to go to camp with me, 
but he refused and said, "How cola." I bought him two 
loaves of bread from the ferryman, which he tied in the 
corner of his blanket, and said, "Skaw-papoose"— that is, 
he would save it for them, his wife and child, I tried in 
vain to press my handkerchief upon him, but he refused, 
and took anotlier loaf of bread, all the ferryman had. 

This benighted ferryman had seen no one from the 
post, and supposed I had recrossed at a ford some miles 
above. "Well, dog me! ef them mules ain't h— 1, 1 '11 never 
ferry another pilgrim, durn my buttous." I wanted to go 
through the post to repor: to the Major, but instead of 
keeping outside of the parade-ground the mules set up an 
imearthly braying and ran directly in front of the com- 
manding officer's quarters. Of course, I must follow them, 
and as I got there Captain Ketchum ran out and said: 
\Vliat are you riding over this parade for?" I halted to 
explain,, when he recognized me. I told him how it hap- 
pened, which was satisfactory, and asked him to please say 



FIVE, YEARS A DRAGOON. 69 

to the Major that I had returned with the mules a,n;d would 
report in the morning. 

I reached camp about dark. Russel washed "Chub's" 
back and legs, and rubbed him down good. McDonald 
got liot water, O'Meara rubbed me down in a hot bath, 1 
got on clean clothes, ate a good supper, rolled myself in 
the blankets, and told them to w^ake me in time to get to 
the post by ten o'clock. Rus&ei had reported to the Major 
the day I left and the day I returned; all were consider- 
ably worried and puzzled at my absence. No one had 
thought of looking in the direction of the ferry. Russel 
had been down the road east of the post eight or ten 
miles, talked with some traders, and concluded that they 
had not gone in that direction. 

I rode McDonald's horse, reported to the Major next 
morning and told my adventures to him and Captain 
Ketchum. A guide and interpreter was called in to listen 
to my description of the camp, and he said it was over fifty 
miles from the ferry across I^orth Platte, and several trad- 
ers familiar with the coimtr}^, with whom I talked, did not 
put any lower estimate upon it. The puzzle was, why did 
the mules go there ? It turned out that a lot of troops had 
been camped there about a year before, and it was believed 
that these mules belonged to that command and had been 
taken to Fort Leavenworth in the fall, as all stock that 
could be spared was taken there to winter. This seemed 
the only goluticn to such a frealv on the part of these two. 
Estimating that I lost ten miles in hunting the trail go- 
ing, would make sixty-five miles the first day and fifty-five 
the next day — one hundred and twenty miles. 



70 



FIVE YEARS A DRACtOON- 



All too soon the time came for us to start on the return 
trip to Fort Leavenworh, and we left "Camp Macklin/' 
named by me in honor of Major Macklin, with many re- 
grets. We had enjoyed a month of positive pleasure and 
happiness, the like of which we might not hope for soon 
again. 

At Laramie we were joined by Mrs. Ehett, wife of 
Brevet Captain Ehett,* of the mounted rifles, and her two 
small children and a servant, her transportation being a 
light wagon and four-mule team. Having crossed to the 
east side of Scotts Bluffs, about fifty miles east of Laramie, 
we turned south and camped near a trading-post belong- 
ing to Major Dripps, who was or had been an Indian agent. 
He was to join us the next morning and travel in our com- 
pany to the Missouri River. Our camp was made about 
noon on a plateau where grass was very short. A ravine 
twenty-five feet deep ran by the camp, sixty feet wide at 
bottom, with steep banks. At the bottom of this ravine 
wa-s a small spring from which we got water. It also con- 
tained fine grass, and in it we picketed our animals. 

About two o'clock. there was sharp lightning and loud 
thunder, evidently a heavy storm some distance in the 
bluffs, which kept gathering force and coming nearer to 
our camp. But while the sun was stiU unobscured by 
clouds where we were, water which had fallen a long way 
off came do wn the ravine, increasing rapidly. We hurried 

and 7^T^^^.^''''?^u ^"^.^^^ ^^' ^ "^^i^^ ^f South Carolina 
and a graduate of the M.A. in 1845. He resiened in AdiII 

j^utant General from 1801 to the close of the war. He died July 



PtYl! YEARS A DRAGOON. 7I 

to the animals and got about half of them out and tied 
to the wagons before the water was ten to fifteen feet deep, 
and the other animals on the other side of it where we 
could not reach them, and if their frantic exertions had 
not enabled them to pull their picket pins they must have 
drowned. Before the storm struck us the water was twen- 
ty feet deep, and great logs coming down at the rate of 
twenty miles an hour. The ^Tajor and Mr. Keed got Mrs. 
Rhett and her children into her wagon, we drove picket 
pins into the ground and tied ropes to the wagon-wheels 
and had ever^'thing as safe as could be made, when one 
of the most fearful storms I ever experLenced struck us. 
The wind did not blow very hard, but rain with heavy hail 
came down in torrents. Standing in our tent I dipped up 
a hat full of the mixture and after the water ran out 
through a hole, the hat was two-thirds full of large hail. 
On the slightly sloping ground the water was half-way 
to one's knees, from which mav be inferred what a deluge 
was falling. Fortunately the storm passed nuickly, and 
by five o'clock the sun was smiling as sweetly as ever; the 
creek ran down as quickly as it came up. 

We had two horses, mine and O'Meara's, and on them 
we started to find the lost animals. The storm obliterated 
the trail, and we had no guide but the direction of tlie 
storm. It came from the southwest, and the stock must 
drift before that pelting hail to the northeast, and in 
that direction towards a line of high red bluffs we rode. 
We must find them before dark if possible, as if they had 
all night the start we might have a long chase. Fortunate- 
ly we found them about eight miles from camp on the 



72 FIVE TEARS A URAGOON. 

west side of an ampitheatre of perpendicular bluffs, all to- 
gether, grazing contentedly at sunset. We managed to 
catch all of them and take off their picket pins. Except- 
ing a few slight wounds, none of the animals were hurt. 
We fixed the ropes around their necks and started for camp 
about dark, where we arrived two hours later. 

I had asked McDonald and Eussel to keep a bright fire 
of pine knots, of which they had plenty, so that we could 
see the light, which was a great help. When the stock 
was all caught and made safe Bill Anderson said : "Well, 
I ^11 be gol durned if they hain't got the last one on ^um/^ 
This was one of the best lessons I ever learned, never to 
camp in a ravine or where the camp could possibly over- 
flow by a sudden rise, never to trust stock where by any 
possibility one can not reach them. I have seen thousands 
of camps in attractive places like that ravine, for conven- 
ience of water and wood, because the people were too lazy 
to carry water or wood, and I have almost every year read 
of some of them being drowned and their outfits destroyed. 
There was no other incident worth mentiouing on the trip, 
no accidents, no losses and no friction. 

We met emigrants continually, in great numbers, en 
route to California, Oregon and Salt Lake. 

Before leaving Laramie, Major Macklin had informed 
me that soon after we left Fort Leavenworth B Troop had 
been ordered on a forced march to Fort Adkinson, on the 
Arkansas River, to relieve D Company, Sixth Infantry, 
quartered in a sod fort (Adkinson), which was surrounded 
and threatened by the Kiowa and Comanche Lidians. 
Nothing further had been heard from them. He also in- 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 73 

formed me that there was to be a great assemblage of In- 
dians near Fort Laramie early in the fall, at which all the 
tribes that could be induced to come were to meet, smoke 
the pipe of peace, make treaties between tribes and the tribes 
with the Government, and to wind up with a general dis- 
tribution of presents from the Great Father. At Kearney 
we heard the same report and nothing more. 

At what is now called "West End," then the dragoon 
drill-ground, the ]\[ajor halted and made us a little speech, 
in which he recounted the uniform good conduct of his es- 
cort and the pleasure and freedom from care they had given 
him during the trip. The dragoons had taken upon them- 
selves to look after Mrs. Rhett's camp, pitch and take down 
her tent, and soon after our arrival at Fort Leavenworth 
Mrs. Ehett sent for me, and through me sent her thanks 
and a nice present to each of the dragoons for special 
kindness and attention to her and her children during 
the trip. 

And now we heard that B Troop, having relieved Ad- 
kinson without serious trouble, had been ordered back, 
and would, after its return, proceed to Fort Laramie. 

The infantry part of the escort was at home with its 
company. I reported to the commanding officer of the post, 
Colonel T. T. Fauntleroy, and he excused us four dragoons 
from all duty except the care of ourselves and horses until 
the arrival of the troops. We took possession of our quar- 
ters and stables, and when the troop arrived ten days later 
we had everything in good order. Sergeant Hooper was 
now first sergeant. This was a change extremely gratify- 
ing to me. He was serving in his tenth year — a level 



74 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

headed, sober, honest, active man, of good judgment and 
even temper. I looked forward hopefully. 

Private Wiggins was drowned in Grasshopper Creek 
(now Delaware Elver) on the way out. After everything 
else was over, the horses and mules had to swim. They 
were driven into the river, Sergeant Cook and Private Wig- 
gins bringing up the rear, mounted. Both were washed 
from their horses. Wiggins stiiick out to swim to shore, 
which he would have done, but his horse struck him with 
his feet, knocked hini under and he was never seen again. 
Cook cauglit his horse's tail and was pulled ashore. Wig- 
gins was an excellent soldier, a man of good habits, and 
well liked. No other casualties or serious accidents. The 
forced march out had pulled the horses down some, but 
they were in fair condition. At stable call the Major in- 
spected the horses of my detachment critically and found 
them almost as fleshy as when we started out — not a sore 
spot on them. As the Major expressed it, "No one would 
think they had been on a long march." We had traveled 
over one thousand three hundred miles; my horse had 
traveled eight miles a day for thirty days from the camp 
at Laramie to the fort and back, two hundred and forty 
miles, besides my trip to the Sioux camp after the mules, 
one hundred and twenty miles, making in all more than 
one thousand six hundred and sixty miles. The troop un- 
der Major Chilton had traveled eight hundred miles and 
the horses looked well, with few sore backs. Two or threa 
horses were changed by the quartermaster, some shoeing 
done, a little replenishing of clothing, and in a week we 
were ready for the field again. For my twenty animals 



76 FIVE YEARS A DBAaOON. 

six sacks (384 quarts) of corn were taken. One quart each 
night and morning (fort)^ quarts per day) fed until all 
was gone, and from that time to the end of the trip grass 
only. Being used to corn, this two quarts per day kept 
them up until they became used to the grass and until 
the early grass gained substance. Major Chilton^s com- 
mand took extra transportation to haul half rations — five 
pounds of corn for each animal per day to Council Grove; 
one-fourth rations from there to Adkinson and back. 

We were to escort the Superintendent of Indian Affairs, 
Colonel D. D. Mitchel, who arrived at Fort Leavenworth by 
steamboat with Colonel George Knapp, of the Missouri Re- 
puhlican, and Mr. B. Gratz Brown, correspondent of the 
Repiihlican, and late Governor of Missouri, who was to and 
who did write up the campaign, the treaty, etc. ; in short, a 
full and well written account from start to finish, and if 
published to-day would be read with great interest through- 
out the world. Colonel Cooper, Adjutant General of the 
Army, was a guest of Major Chilton during the whole cam- 
paign to Laramie and back. The Major had my four horses 
brought up for Colonel Cooper's inspection, and explained 
to him the service they had performed, and the Colonel 
seemed surprised at their freedom from sore backs, and their 
fine condition. 

I was questioned, and made this statement: "When 
near Fort Kearney, on the way out, a Californian en route 
to 'the States' camped near us and he showed me how he 
kept a sound back on his horse. In the first place, he had 
the California saddle-tree, old Spanish style, high ^nd wide 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



77 



at the withers, and otherwise fitting the hack. He used a 
gunnysack — tlie coarse kind, made of loose soft fiher — the 
old - fashioned corn 
sack, clean and put 
on next to the hack, 
and a common blank- 
et between it and the 
saddle. The claim 
Avas that the gunny- 
sack absorbed the 
moisture without 
scalding, as would 
the blanket if worn 
next to the back. 
We tried this with 
great success, always 
taking care to have 
a clean sack, lb it is, wash the sack occasionally and keep the 
grit or sand out of it." After that the gunnysack was 
Avorn by every horse in the troop. Although o:ir "Grimsley" 
saddle could not compare with the California tree, the sack 
was a Avondcrful help. 

As I cannot have access to tlie records which would en- 
able me to give dates, I am compelled to state the events as 
they occurred throughout the season, one event following 
another, regardless of dates. It was July when we returned 
from Laramie, and the troop from Adkinjson and July when 
we left Fort Leavenworth, and August when we arrived at 
Fort Laramie. I had been consulted a good deal about 
camping places because of my recent trip over the road, and 




Cheyenne. 



78 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



now when asked by the Major I recommended "Camp Mack- 
lin," and there we camped. The Indians were gathering in 
great numbers. The plain between our camp and Laramie 
was filled with Indian lodges, mostly Sioux, but there was a 
large camp of Cheyennes and Arapahoe 3. Here and there 
were interpreters, squaw men (men married to squaws and 
living with or near the tribe for the purpose of trading). 
Now, this was an effort on the r)art of the Government to 
get all the tribes together and have them to make peace 
with each other, swear fealty to the Great Father, and gen- 
erally to fix up matters so that there should be no friction 
between tribes, nor between the various tribes and the 
Government. Runners had for months been circulating 
throughout the Indian country, from the Missouri River 
to Fort Bridger and from Canada to the Arkansas. This 
Vv^as in the heart of the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahoe 
country. Thousands came, even from the far northwest, 
from the upper Mississippi, from headwaters of the 
Missouri and the Yellowstone. 

The grand old Sioux Nation with its numerous 
branches and bands furnished the greatest number; then 
the handsome, the dign'fied, the wiry, agile, intelligent and 
brave Cheyennes in large numbers, and rich in equipment. 
The Arapahoes were interesting but less numerous. These 
three tribes were friends and allies, and ruled the country 
from Minnesota to the Arkansas River and from the Rocky 
Moimtains to a line drtiwn north and south some forty miles 
west of Fort Kearney at their own sweet will. They did 
not want peace with other tribes. Why should they ? Their 
pastures were well stocked with game, the supply of buflalo 
was unhmited, the way they hunted inexhaustible. They 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 79 

were rich in everything that people of nomadic habits need- 
ed, and as to peace, why, what w^ould life be to them without 
war? Mature supplied all their needs. They did not hunt 
for the sake of wantonly destroying the lives of animals as 
did the white man, and how could they amuse themselves? 
Of what use to live ? And how could they hope to raise 
young men without war ? And "of what use were men if not 
warriors ? But the Indian Department had become a great 
branch of the political machine, large amounts of money 
were appropriated, growing larger annually, and it must be 
spent. There were many beneficiaries interested — manu- 
facturers of Indian goods, merchants, freighters, officials 
and hangers-on in large numbers. Whether it led to trag- 
ed}^ or ended in a farce, here was a well laid plan for the 
largest assemblage of Indians ever gathered at one council 
or on one treaty ground. The Pawnees and some 'others 
were invited but none O'f them came, presumably because 
they were afraid to risl; it. But the Snakes came. Their 
headquarters was about Fort Bridger. The Sioux and 
Cheyennes had promised to make peace with them, and to 
take no advantage of them while the treaty was going on. 
About noon one bright day, a long line of dust was 
seen from our camp, looking west, towards Laramie Peak. 
Soon a long line of Indians came moving slowly down 
in battle array, arms ready for use and every man ap- 
parently expectant, the women and children and baggage 
bringing up the rear well guarded. It turned out that 
Major Bridger, the interpreter, had reported to head- 
quarters the approach of the Snakes, and he had been 
directed to lead them down near to our camp. All the 



80 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



head men of the Sioux and Cheyennes had given as- 
surance that they should not be molested, so down the} 
came, moving very slowly and cautiously, the chief alone 
a short distance in advance. They were dressed in 
their best, riding fine war horses, and made a grandly 
savage appearance. In the absence of Major Chilton down 
at the post, seeing all this caution on the part of the Snakes, 
Lieutenant Hastings had "boots and saddles" sounded so as 
to be ready whatever happened. J u.-t below us was a large 
Sioux camp, and the people were showing great interest and 
some excitement at the anproach of their hereditary ene- 
mies, and a few squaws howled in anguish for lost friends 
who had died in battle with these same cautiously moving 
warriors. When the Snakes reached the brow of the hill 
overlooking the beautiful Laramie, less than a mile away, 
and the chief commenced the descent, a Sioux sprang upon 
his horse, bow and arrows in hand, and rushed towards 
him. A Frenchman, an interpreter, had been watching 
this Sioux, expecting trouble, and he, too, mounted his 
horse and was instantlv in pursuit. The Snake column 
stopped and sent up a wild shout of defiance, the chief 
moved a few steps farther and raised his gun ready to 
fire just as the intrepid Frenchman reached the reckless 
Sioux, pulled him from his horse, disarmed and stood 
over him. Then ensued a harangue between interpre- 
ters and chiefs. The wild Sioux, who sought to revenge 
himself on the Snake chief who had killed his father 
some time before, was led back to camp while the 
Snakeg held their ground. Their position was a good 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. gl 

one; every man had a good gun, plenty of ammunition, 
besides bows and arrows. Not one out of a hundred Sioux 
had guns, and the Snakes, though not one to five of the 
Sioux, would have defended themselves successfully, and 
the battle would have been the most bloody ever known 
amongst the wild tribes. They had come prepared for 
treachery, and with their splendid equipments felt full con- 
fidence in their ability to cope with any band upon the 
plains. Having quickly inounted the troop, Hastings took 
a position where he could overlook the actions of the tribe. 

Here 1 met Bridger the first time. He spoke on behalf 
of the Snakes, aiid told Lieutenant Hastings what he al- 
ready knew, that the Snakes had been assigned a posi- 
tion near his troop and asked where they could camp 
without interfering with the dragoons. Hastings told him 
that I knew tlie ground all about there, and turning to me 
said : "Corporal Lowe show Captain Bridger the limits of 
our camp and give hiiii all th.e assistance you can.^^ That 
order was license for me to stay on Bridger^s staff until a 
camp was made. Then and there Lowe became a Snake, 
and the other tribes were not .in it. 

I galloped off with the great mountaineer, whose fort I 
had seen dotted on my atlas at school a few years before, I 
showed him the finest camj) imaginable, and he was pleased. 
I asked him if he had any objections to my staying with him 
until the camp was formed. "No, young man, these are the 
finest Indians on earth ; stay with me and I ^11 show 'um to 
you.^^ Soon the column was in motion, and they went into 
camp in their own peculiar way. Every prominent point 
was dotted by a sentinel, quietly wrapped in his blanket. 



82 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



gun ready for use. Bridger said: "Well, you seen that 
fool Sioux make tlie run, didn't you?" ''Yes sir." "Well, 
— — ," referring to the brave interpreter, whom he knew 
well, "saved that fellow from hell ; my chief would ^er killed 
him quick, and then the fool Sioux would 'er got their backs 
up, and there wouldn 't have been room to^ camp 'round here 
for dead Sioux. You dragoons ac-ted nice, but you wouldn 't 
have had no show if the fight had commenced — ^no making 
peace then. And I tell you another thiug : the Sioux ain t 
o^oin' to trv it ao^ain. Thev see how the Snakes are armed. 
I got them guns for 'um, and they are good ones. It '11 be a 
proud day for the Snakes if any of these prairie tribes pitch 
into 'um, and they are not a bit afraid. Uncle Sam told 'uni 
to come down here and they 'd be safe, but they ain't takin' 
his word for it altogether. They '11 never be caught nap- 
ping, and they 're prepared to travel anywhere. Awful brave 
fellows, these Snakes ; got the nerve ; honest, too ; can take 
their word for anything; trust 'em anywhere; they live all 
about me, and I know all of them." 

I returned to the dragoon camp, in a couple of hours 
just as Major Chilttm, with the Indian commissioner. Colo- 
nel Mitchel, and some others came in, and I was sent baek 
with Colonel Mitchel's compliments to request Captain 
Bridger, as he was then called, to come over. I delivered 
the message, and returned with Bridger, who spent some 
hours with the Commdssioner's party. Somehow, I had con- 
ceived a great liking for and felt great confidence in Brid- 
ger. The acquaintance had been short, but he impressed 
me as a master in his line, and when I related to Sergeant 
Hooper and others what he had said to me, all seemed to 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



83 



partake of the same feeling, and whatever anxiety was stir- 
red up by the incidents of the day quieted down. While 
conceding his courage, no one admired the judgment nor 
the treachery 
of the Sioux, 
who fully ex- 
pected to 
arouse his 
tribe to bat- 
tle, and but 
for the brave 
interpreter h.e 
might have 
done so, 
though sure 
death awaited 
him. The at- 
titude of the 

Snakes, the cool, deliberate action of the chief, the 
staunch firmness of his Avarriors and the quiet demeanor 
of women and children, who were perfectly self-possessed — 
not a single outcry from that vast parade save the one cry 
of defiance that went up spontaneously as the chief raised 
his gun to take aim at the Sioux. The scene was impres- 
sive, as showing the faith that band of warriors had in each 
other; the entire confidence of their families in them; the 
self-reliance all through. It was a lesson for soldiers who 
might never again see such a grand display of soldierly 
manhood, and the lesson was not lost. Every dragoon felt 
an interest in that tribe. 




Pueblo. 



g4 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

Major CMlton told me to report to Captain Ehett, 
which I did, and he very cordially thanked me, and through 
me my comrades, for kindness to his family while en ronte 
to Fort Leavenworth. He impressed me very much — was 
a good officer and a perfect gentleman. He could show 
kindneSiS to an enlisted man without the risk of invoking 
undue familiarity. 

Colonel Mitchel and his party left for the fort before 
sunset. As our camp was rearranged, we were between the 
Snakes and the other tribes, and half of the troop on guard. 
Every half hour was called thus : "Number one, — o'clock ! 
All 's well !" Morning dawned on peace and quiet. There 
had been some anxiety for fear the Sioux would malce a 
general break. Bridger told me some time afterward that if 
tliey had they would have found every Snake ready. In 
about a week after the incidents a,bove related we moved 
thirty-four miles east of liaramie to where Horse Creek 
flows into the North Platte. It was a better camping ground 
for this great mass of Indians because of more room, grass 
and water. Horse Creek came in from the southwest, and 
on the north side of the Platte was another creek coming 
in from the northwest, so that the camps could spread out. 

Being in command, the Major placed his own troop 
and Captain Ketchum's company below the mouth of Horse 
Creek. This remained headquarters. Two troops of mount- 
ed rifles, now Third Cavalry, were a short distance above. 
One troop remained to garrison Fort Laramie. The Snakes 
followed us on the march down, and camped near us. One 
thing was plain: if there wais any trouble beitween troops 
and Indians, it would not be between troops and Snakes, 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. g5 

and the Snakes in numbers and efficiency were largely in 
excess of all the troops, so that in case of trouble they were 
our best dependence. Strategically the arrangement was 
excellent. The mounted ritles averaged about sixty men 
to each troop, "B" Troop about seventy-five and ^'G" Com- 
pany, Sixth infantry, about seventy-nve^ — 270 soldiers. 
Considering that there were within fifteen miles of our 
headquarters more than 60,000 Indians, of whom prob- 
ably 10,000 were fighting men, ours seemed a slim array 
of troops. In fact, if there was any disposition on the 
part of the Sioux, Cheyennes and Arapahoes to destroy 
us they could have done so in an hour if given a chance 
to camp around us. But this was not done. Our camp 
was formed with great care. The Sioux, Cheyennes and 
Arapahoes were allowed to camp anywhere on the south 
side of the Platte not occupied by troops above the 
mouth of Horse Creek and anywhere on the north side 
of the Platte or on streams coming in from the north. 
Horse Creek and the south side of the Platte below it 
was reserved for troops, transportation, p/arade and treaty 
grounds, Snake Indians and such other visiting tribes 
as might come in. Lines of sentinels were placed, in- 
side of which no one might come without permission. 

Major Chilton was a man well fitted for a command 
of this kind. He was bold, unyielding, self-reliano, quick 
to comprehend an emergency, and so vigilant that he 
could not be surprised. No people on earth will discover 
a commander's weakness quicker than Indians; to hes- 
itate or to show fear of lesults in their presence is fatal. 
On the other hand a bold front, to keep them at a dis- 



86 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



tanoe, treating them well las long as they behave them- 
selves, and drawing the line at the slightest encroach- 
ment — to locate them and say: "Thus far shalt thou 
come, and no farther/' is the only policy practicable. It 
will apply in many places in dealing with men other 
than Indians. Of course Major Chilton had experienced 
advisors in abundance if he chose to ask advice. Col- 
onel Mitchel, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, had 
spent many years with the Sioux of the Upper Missouri. 
Then there was Bridger and Fitzpatrick with their great 
experience, and always reliable and any number of long- 
haired mountaineers — a large percentage of them worth- 
less characters — but many traders, trappers and guides 
of good, well earned reputations. Captain Ketchum, 
commanding Company G, Sixth Infantry, had been sta- 
tioned several years, at Laramie, and few men knew the 
Indians and the country better than he. 

This camp, and incidents connected with the treaty 
was well written up at the time by Mr. B. Gratz Brown, 
heretofore referred to, and published in the Missouri 
Republican. So far as I know, no other paper had a 
correspondent on the ground. To-day such an event 
would draw reporters from most all of the leading pa- 
pers in the country, including the illustrated papers; 
the whole camp, including daily incidents, war dances, 
squaw dances, sham battles, etc., portraits of the prin- 
cipal chiefs and the officials would be seen in these great 
periodicals, and all the reading public would be familiar 
with it. 

We remained a month in this camp, awaiting the 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 37 

arrival of the ox train that hrought the presents from 
the Missouri, they having been first brought from St. 
Louis by steamboat to Fort Leavenworth. During the 
time we were waiting the Commissioner was having made 
a list of all the head men and the number of each band, 
and ranking them according to their power and influ- 
ence, judging by the number of followers; then taking 
an invoice of the goods to be distributed parceling them 
off to each band, turning them over to the chief or sub- 
chief for distribution. 

This listing of the bands was an immense job, and 
the distribution must be made with as little partiality 
as possible. The chiefs having been given rank accord- 
ing to influence and following, they all sat in an im- 
mense circle, smoking with great dignity and passing the 
pipe, meanwhile some orator entertaining them with a 
bombastic account of some of his or his tribe's adven- 
tures. This part of the entertainment was equal to a 
political convention waiting for the committee on reso- 
lutions to report. Amidst the grunts of approval as the 
oratory wen+ on a chief was called in to headquarters 
and soon Returned decked off in full major-generaFs 
uniform from head to foot. There the line was drawn 
by the Indian; he still wears his moccasins — he could 
not walk in boots — wearing a saber, medal with the head 
of the President on one side and clasped hands on the 
other, he carries a document with an immense seal and 
ribbon thereon — enclosed in a large envelope, that he 
may show all comers what the Great Father thinks of 
him — what rank and power he wields among his fellow- 



88 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



men. Tliis and his medal lie values more tlian all else. 
They give him the entree to the camp of the emigrant, 
who must, perforce, have confidence in and feed him 
since he comes with these proofs of the love the afore- 
said Great Father has for him. Then follows another 
major-general with decorations substantially the same. 
Having exhausted the list of major-generals, then fol- 
lowed the brigadiers, then numerous colonels, lieutenant 
colonels, majors, captains and lieutenants — as Bill An- 
derson said — "Till yer can't rest," all with medals of 
some kind and all with a paper — "Certificate of Charac- 
ter,'' Corporal Ferguson called it. These papers had 
been prepared, probably, in the Indian office in Wash- 
ington, with a blank space left to fill in the name. Then 
there were great numbers of braves^ — a multitude who 
were entitled to and received some distinguishing mark 
in the way of medal or other decorations or paper. 

Several days were given to this "dignity business,'^ 
as McDonald called it, and then followed the distribu- 
tion of goods. In this the roll was called as before, and 
the pile turned over to the head man, who shouted out 
his instructions and parceled out the goods> and strange 
to say there seemed to be little wrangling or dissatis- 
faction. In each case the goods were packed on ponies 
and taken to the camp where they belonged. The pro- 
visions were given out last and in great quantities, and 
the feasting and good humor was general. The daily 
scenes and incidents of our stay there were of the great- 
est interest, often very exciting; sham battles were a 
feature daily, and they showed their prowess to the white 



riYE YEARS A DRAGOON. 89 

men, and one tribe to another, with all the savage en- 
erg/ of their bombastic natures. No human being can 
out-brag an Indian, and they spend hours in oratory over 
the most trifling occurrences, and often tell monstrous 
lies in their illustrations. 

The presents having all been distributed, the feasts 
being over, the long talks ended, the great oiators hav- 
ing ventilated themselves, while the white dignitaries 
listened and grunted their approval with tlie dignity be- 
coming the representatives of the Great Father in Wash- 
ington, the great camp began to disintegrate, band after 
band began to move out, until all but a straggling few, 
camp scavengers who hang around to pick up anything 
left behind, were gone. The Sioux moved in many di- 
rections, some for the far north and northwest, others 
for various points for winter quarters. The Cheyennes 
seemed to keep well together and moved off up Horse 
Creek, the Arapahoes soon following. The Snakes were 
amongst the first to move, and though the head chief 
and a few others had talked a little in their turn to the 
Indian Commissioner, their story was soon told. Few 
complaints, as Bridger told me, were made, and they 
had no bombastic threats nor false promises to make. 
All they wanted was to be left alone, but would endeav- 
or to care for themselves; they had never injured the 
white people and had no desire to do so. Every Sunday 
the Snakes had church service. They had a minister 
who had been with them twenty years; preached to them 
in their own language; several times I heard him. 
Bridger interpreted to me, and I could readily understand 



90 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

why every one of those people listened to him with close 
attention. He taught them true Christianity, kindness, 
brotherly love, honesty, and all the precepts calculated 
to make men better. No orthodox mysteries, no unnat- 
ural or miraculous plan of salvation, nothing that they 
could not understand. "Now," says Bridger, "I don't 
know nothing about religion as I used to hear it in the 
States; but me and the Snakes don't have no trouble 
in believing what he says, and I tell you he just leads 
the Snakes about right." 

Bridger pointed out to me one day a quiet listener, 
a man thirty-five years old, six feet, about one hundred 
and seventy-five pounds, gentle face and manner, and 
told me that this was the most modest and unassuming 
man he had ever met. A few years before, some Sioux 
had run off a lot of Snake horses and taken one scalp. 
This man with others started on the trail. In about a 
week they all returned except he, they having separated. 
Another week and he was given up for dead, and there 
was loud lamentation amongst his friends, lasting for 
days. One night in the midst of the weeping and wail- 
ing this man rode into camp driving all the lost Snake 
horses and six more and with six Sioux scalps dangling 
from his bridle and belt. The story was quickly told. 
Having struck a "hot trail," he followed it down into 
the foot hills on the east side of the mountains, until 
one evening he saw a band of horses and one lodge. He 
watched; he knew the Snake horses, and found that 
there were six Sioux. Evidently these six had left the 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



91 



lodge standing while they made the raid 200 miles into 
the Snake country. Here they thought themselves safe. 
They feasted around a fire in front of the lodge, and 

howled and danced 
around the Snake 
scalp until midnight, 
when all went into 
the lodge and slept. 
Towards morning the 
Snake crept to the 
lodge, ripped it open 
with his scalping knife 
and in the darkness 
killed all, scalped 
them, and alone man- 
aged the herd of 
Arapahoe. horses, averaging sev- 

enty-five miles a day until he reached home. 

"Now," says Bridger, "how many fellows can you 
pick out of your troop that could do what that Indian 
did and make no fuss about it?'^ I did not know, had 
not seen them tried, and gave it up. I thought it an 
inspiration to meet one who possessed such reckless 
nerve. I parted with Bridger with regret, and when 
he shook my hand he said, looking at me keenly, "Young 
man, don't you stay in the army no longer than your 
time 's out, but come right up to Bridger. Thar 's more 
money in the mountains than in all the rest of the world 
— gold till you can't rest, and I know where some of it 
is. Now be sure to come to me. Good bye." I certainl^^ 




92 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

thought I would^ and told him so. His life suited my 
notion; he was a genuine article with no alloy. 

Colonel Mitchel and his party stayed behind and 
came down with the mounted rifles, while Colonel Cooper 
came down with B Troop. No incident worth mention- 
ing occurred until coming along the Little Blue one 
afternoon, Major Chilton wearing huntmg clothes and 
Colonel Cooper in citizen's dress, riding in a little one- 
horse spring wagon, belonging to the Major, the Ma- 
jor's servant driving. About a mile ahead of the troop 
four Pawnee Indians stopped them, highwayman style, 
one seizing the horse's head, the others demanding that 
the occupants get out and give up everything. The Major 
seized his shotgun and would have killed two of them 
but Colonel Cooper stopped him. The Indians did not 
seem inclined to kill, but to rob. At the critical moment 
one Indian saw the troop, and they all ran. 

When we returned to Fort Leavenworth we occupied 
our old quarters and stables of nrevious Winter. There 
was one company of Sixth Infantry and Light Battery 
G, Fourth Artillery, at the Post. 

A few days later a detail of twenty men of B Troop 
was ordered to go to Uniontown, a Pottawatomie village, 
a few miles south of the Kansas Eiver and west of where 
Topeka now stands. We crosseu at a rocky ford near 
Silver Lake and went a few miles south, distant from 
Fort Leavenworth about seventy miles. Lieutenant Cu- 
vier Grover, of the Fourth Artillery, commanded the 
detail. At Uniontown we were to guard the paymaster 
or agent and his money while distributing cash annuities 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 93 

to the Pottawatomies — so much per capita to be paid 
to heads of families or to individuals of age having no 
families. We were there ten davs in glorious Indian 
summer. The lists of persons to whom money was to 
be paid were so complete that the work went on from day 
to day, with the aid of interpreters, as smoothly as if it 
were the paymaster paying off troops. I liked these Pot- 
tawatomies; all well behaved men, women' and children. 
All had good horses, seemed to be well clothed and fed, 
lived in comfoTtable cabins, did considerable farming in 
a small way, especially in com and pumpkins. Every 
cabin had great quantities of yellow strips of pumpkin 
hung up to dry. We had seen no vegetables during the 
last six months, and would steal them if given half a 
chance. I had charge of the quartermaster and commis- 
sary department of our little command, and schemed in 
every way possible to supply our wants. An influential 
Frenchman whose acquaintance I made on the way over, 
who had two Pottawatomie wives and a large family of 
children — the more children the more money — intro- 
duced me to Joseph LeFramboy, fourth chief of the Na- 
tion, who lived near Silver Lake, was wealthy and had 
great influence. He had two wives, one a Pottawatomie 
and one a Frenchwoman. My French friend made known 
to this chief, who talked good English, the fact that we 
had been on the plains the whole season on soldiers' 
rations and wild meat, and the fact that we probably 
had nothing to pay with. I asked LeFramboy if the 
hogs we saw cracking nuts in the woods were wild. He 
answered, "Yes, so you not let him squeal too much/' 



94 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

He soon brought an Indian who pointed out a lot of half 
grown pigs and said, "Eat plenty/' In short, our camp 
was soon supplied with fresh pig, pumpkin, cabbage and 
potatoes in abundance. It was too late in the season for 
anything else. All temptation to steal, was removed, and 
we lived high. 

If the reader has never been similarly situated, has 
never lived for six months at a time on bread, rice, beans 
— no other cereals and no vegetables — a little sugar and 
coffee, not half what soldiers get nowadays, bacon and 
such game as could be killed, he has not the slightest 
conception of the excellence of pumpkin sauce, with salt 
and pepper, flavored with a little bacon grease, boiled 
cabbage, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, potatoes baked 
in the ashes by the campfire, eaten with salt or a thin 
slice of bacon broiled on a stick. Of all the army of to- 
day probably not one ever had our experience and never 
will have. I sent Lieutenant Grover his dinner every 
day in our best style. He sent back his thanks and asked 
no questions, but I told him how nicely we were being 
treated. Our rest at Uniontown was a great relief from 
the everlasting march, march, day after day, until horses 
and men were weary, oh, so weary. In going to Union- 
town, our stay there, and return, we had enjoyed two 
weeks of absolute peace, and were sorry when we had to 
return. 

And now the winter was before us, and we hoped for 
rest — ^rest that every man and every horse needed. To 
sum up the summer's campaign: I had ridden one hors.3 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 95 

twice to Laramie and back — 2,600 miles; eight miles a 
day for thirty days at Laramie, 240 miles; to and from 
Sioux camp, 120 miles; to and from the Pottawatomie 
payment, 140 miles; total, 3,100 miles, besides consider- 
able riding abont from our camp to the Snakes, etc., that 
the others did not do. McDonald, Knssell and O'Meara 
had ridden 360 miles less, making them 2,740 miles. All 
the balance of the troop had been to Adkinson and back, 
800 miles, and to Laramie and back, 1,300 miles — 2,100; 
and sixteen of them had been to the Pottawatomie pay- 
ment, 140 miles, making for them 2,240 miles. The 
horses that went first to Laramie were exceedingly leg 
weary, but looked well and were sound. All the horses, 
with the exception of a few slightly sore backs, were 
sound. All they needed was rest, feed and good care, 
and they got it. The grooming, leg washing and rub- 
bing down with strips of gunnysack that they got was 
something that any lover of horse flesh might be proud 
of. The dirt stalls that they stood in were kept level, 
each man held accountable for the condition of his own 
stall. 

An officer said to me when talking of this campaign, 
"Well, you did not have any mounted drill for some time 
after that!" In a week we drilled an hour mounted in 
the forenoon and on foot in the afternoon, but we drilled 
carefully; went through the evolutions, saber exercises 
and pistol practice at a walk; in a few weeks a part of 
the time at a trot, and in a couple of months all of the 
gaits, never missing mounted drill every forenoon when 
7— 



96 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

weather and ground was suitable on week days, and, ex- 
cept Saturday, afternoons on foot, with inspection mount- 
ed on Sunday morning. One hour drill each time. In 
case of rain or snow we drilled on foot in quarters. Our 
horses were ridden to the river for water morning and 
evening before corn was fed to them which, with the 
hour's drill, gave them good exercise. They always went 
to and from water at a walk. I saw other mounted troops 
go yelping down the hill in outrageous disorder, running 
races up the hill after watering. B Ttoop was as orderly 
and well behaved going to and from water as if on parade ; 
talk was free but no noise. I can say the same for Cap- 
tain Hunt's Light Battery O, Fourth Artillery. We used 
the watering bridle bit (snaffle), surcingle and blanket, 
but no saddle, going to and from water. 

And now we were settled down in comfortable quar- 
ters for those times. A bed sack, refilled with prairie hay 
(Arnold called it prairie feathers) once a month, and a 
pair of soldier blankets, with overcoat, or anything else 
one could utilize for a pillow. If the Government allow- 
ance of wood was not sufficient, we took a company team, 
made a detail, and hauled more from above the post. In- 
defatigable commissary and quartermaster Sergeant Cook 
managed our rations and forage so that men and horses 
fared well. We got vegetables and apples from Missouri. 
Nothing of the kind was then furnished by the commis- 
sary. Cook got some barrels and had them sawed in two 
for bath tubs, which we could use in the dining room be- 
tween supper and tattoo. The troop moved about so 



FIVE TEARS A DBAQOON. 97 

much that there was little company fund, and from our 
small pay we ''chipped in" for nearly all the extras. 

A Thespian Society was formed, and our troop fur- 
nished the lion's diare of actors, cmong them Jim Gien- 
non, Warren Kimball, Forrest, etc. Officers and their 
families had as much fun out of it as did the men, and 
the performances did a great deal of good. Our troop 
raised money for a hall, and I was treasurer. We wanted 
things that must he gotten from Weston, and I made the 
purchases. Mr. Ben Bishop, who was first sergeant of 
"B" Troop before I joined, was now in the cattle busi- 
ness, doing well and living in Weston, gave me much as- 
sistance and took me to the "Weston Club" for dinner, 
where I was introduced to a lot of gentlemen Avho would 
be a credit to any town of 10,000 people, whose friend- 
ship I retained. Most of them are now dead — Dick Mur- 
phy, Joe Murphy, Perry Wallingford, Merrit L. Young, 
George Belt, Charles A. Perry, etc. Weston was a won- 
derful business place— fine stores und heavy stocks of 
goods. It was at that time the best business town be- 
tween St. Joseph and St. Louis except Lexington. 

Our ball came off, and was a great success from the 
soldier's standpoint, and did a great deal of good. The 
men were on their good behavior — their pride was ap- 
pealed to, and even the roughest seemed to rise a little 
higher and to think better of themselves. 



PART III. 

IN THE winter of 1852 Major Chilton went on a six 
months' leave, which left Lieutenant Hastings in 
command of the troop. Sergeant Hooper went on a two 
months' furlough, to the end of his time. Every good 
man in the troop felt his absence a personal loss. It 
wound up his ten years' honorable service, and he would 
never return. It was time for him to make a home for 
himself and family, which, with land warrants and some 
money that he and his industrious wife had saved, he 
did in Iowa, and became a prosperous and prominent 
man. Sergeant John Cuddy was made acting first ser- 
geant until Hooper's time should be out, and three- 
fourths of the troop hoped he would keep the place. He 
was born in Ireland, was well educated, bright, clear 
headed, and a good judge of men, six feet tall, hand- 
some, and a perfect picture of manhood, witty, cheerful 
and self-reliant. I never saw a better specimen for a 
first sergeant. He was just what our troop needed. 1 
knew that good order would reign under Cuddy; but 
there was an element that did not want such a man, and 
a few of them would do anything to destroy him. After 
he had been acting first sergeant a couple of weeks, he 
was visiting a friend across the parade ground, out of quar- 
ters in the night without permission. Some miscreants 

^98 



FIVE YEAR^ A DRAGOON. 99 

managed to get fire into liis orderly room, and the gar- 
rison was aroused at midnight by the alarm of fire. 
When Sergeant Cook and I reached the door and broke 
it down, the room was in flames. The fire was soon 
quenched, but Cuddy's enemies had gotten their work 
in; this was sure to prevent his promotion. He was 
placed in arrest and Sergeant Drummond took his place. 
Cuddy was released in a couple of weeks and returned 
to duty, but Colonel Fauntleroy would not consent to 
promote him. 

In April, 1852, Major Macklin, the paymaster for 
Kearney and Laramie, called for an escort and Sergeant 
Cuddy and ten privates were detailed. Cuddy was glad 
to get away with his little command, and did not object 
to some of the toughest cases detailed to go with him, 
to get them away from the troop. The man who was 
the instigator of the fire in the orderly room deserted, 
and with his wife located in Weston. More of him 
hereafter. 

There was a custom at Fort Leavenworth to detail a 
non-commissioned olTieer each month who was called 
"provost sergeant,'' and whose duty it was to work the 
prisoners in policing the garrison, cleaning up generally, 
and to do anything that there was no hired employees 
to do. If there was a death the provost sergeant had 
the grave dug. My turn came and I served during April. 
It was an odd coincidence, to say the least, that three 
men died of delirium tremens during that month, two 
of Light Battery "G," Fourth Artillery and one of the 



100 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



Land. I remember the names of these men and can 
see how they looked as well as if it happened yesterday. 
These were the only men I ever saw after death from de- 
lirium tremens, and the only deaths at the post during 
the month. I had two prisoners digging a grave in the 
soldiers' cemetery where now stands the commanding 
officer's quarters. They had gotten down half deep 
enough when one of them, an infantryman, leaned on 
his spade, turned to me with a sorrowful expression, 
and in a sad tone said: "Arah, Corpler, aren't it lucky 
J am?" I could not see his good luck, it was not appar- 
ent on the surface, and so I said, "How is that, Mike, 
have you struck a gold mine?" My question brought 
no smile. Poor Mike shook his head; leaned harder on 
his spade, and said: "If I hadn't got in the geard house 
I might 'ev shared the fate of poor Tom, and yez w'u'd 
'ev had somebody digging me grave as I am his." 1 
said I hoped that such a misfortune would never befall 
any of us. Straightening himself to his full height, 
looking at me earnestly, he said: "No danger of yez, 
Corpler, but look at poor Mike." I suggested that this 
was a good time to swear off. He sighed and went on 
with his work. I pitied him with all my heart. The 
only enemy he had was whisky, and he needed a guar- 
dianship that would keep him from it, or keep it 
from him. 

Several men deserted the first pay day after coming 
in from the summer's campaign of 1851. In March, four 
of the best men in the troop deserted, and as they had 



•' • • 



: ' FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. IQI 

been my friends from first to last, I felt the loss keenly. 
They made a big gap in the efficiency of the troop. A 
batch of recruits from Carlisle joined about this time, 
and special attention was given to drilling them pre- 
paratory to the summer's campaign sure to follow. They 
bad spent tlie winter at Carlisle and were pretty well 
drilled. They came up on a steamboat. 

On the 20th of June I was made sergeant; on the 
23d, first sergeant. After the order making me first 
sergeant was read and the troops dismissed, as I was 
passing a group of men on the way to the steps lead- 
ing up to the squad room I heard one man say: "WeH, 
we may as well desert now.'' The man was slightly un- 
der the influence of liquor and evidently intended that 
I should hear the remark. I walked over to where they 
were sta.nding, and said: "See here; I don't care what 
anyone says of me so that I do not know that the words 
are intended for me to hear. In his case you said what 
you did purposely for me to hear. Now, it lies entirely 
with you whether or not you may as well desert. If you 
intend to be a decent, respectable soldier, there is no oc- 
casion for you to desert. On the other hand, if you 
want to make things disagreeable generally, and for me 
in particular, the future for you is not bright. Now 
take your choice, for I tell you plainly that I will not 
be harassed, worried and annoyed by men who can see 
no good in anything but whisky, noise, opposition to good 
order and discipline, and other things that make the 
troop and all connected with it miserable. I may not 



H)2 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

succeed in having everything my own way, but I will 
come as near to it as I can, and the nearer I come to 
it the less cause any one will have to talk as you have/' 
The man was about to speak, I do not think disrespect- 
fully, when a man said quietly, ^'Shut up^' and two of. 
them walked him off. Though I spoke in a low tone, 
probably half the troop heard what I said. The next 
day this man made an apology and said he would never 
give me any trouble, and he never did. 

I called the roll at ''tattoo'' without a light, the first 
time I had seen it done, and without a mistake — called 
two absentees the second time and reported them ab- 
sent. I never used a light, nor read from a list at roll 
call. A general good feeling seemed to develop from 
day to day, and many men said they were glad it was 
settled. The most experienced said they would know 
about what to expect for the next two years, and there 
was a great deal in that. Lieutenant Hastings had the 
confidence and respect of all the men whose opinions 
were worth anything, and that was a tower of strength 
to me. 

The day of departure soon came and we found our 
way to the Arkansas via Pappan's Ferry across the Kaw 
and thence through Council Grove. 

Arrived in the vicinity of Cow Creek, now in Eice 
Countv, Kansas, it became evident that the Kiowas and 
Comanches were as energetic as usual, annoying trains, 
surprising small parties, and driving off stock. Several 
trains were compelled to corral and stand them oS until 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 103 

relieved by the Dragoons. Generally the Indians did 
not stand much upon the order of going when the "long 
knives'^ came in sight. Some inexperienced people have 
charged Indians with possessing less real courage than 
white men. There never was a greater mistake. The 
Indians knew that bows and arrows, good at forty yards, 
could not compete with musketoons and pistols at 100 
or 200 yards, so they skirmished for the advantage, and 
took it whenever they could, as became the sensible rob- 
bers and bandits that they were. 

Arrived on the Arkansas, from the mouth of Walnut 
Creek west the danger to trains was great. Nothing 
short of constant, intelligent, determined effort on the 
part of the commanding officer, Lieutenant Hastings, 
served to protect the trains from destruction until he 
compelled their owners or managers to concentrate in 
large caravans and proceed with the greatest caution in 
double column. 

One morning near Pawnee Eock, now near the corner 
of Barton, Stafford and Pawnee Counties, a Mexican 
train of ten mule teams pulled out of camp. The rear 
team was made up of seven little mules and three burros. 
The load was heavy and the team lagged. Suddenly a 
small band of Indians was seen charging toward this 
train. The train master did the usual thing, hurried 
into corral as fast as possible, and succeeded very well 
except as to this last team, which all expected to see 
captured and the man and his ten-year-old son scalped. 
Seeing his desperate situation, the father hid the boy 



104 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON' . 



in the wagon under some blankets, in hopes that relief 
might come to his son, though he must die. The Dra- 
goons had camped west of Walnut Creek, near where 
Great Bend, the county seat of Barton County, now is, 
and had made an early start in order to halt this train 
until others should come up. A few skirmishers on the 
high ground saw the situation, gave the alarm and 
charged in time to drive off the robbers, though a 
shower of arrows had already hit the wagon and slightly 
wounded the man. One pony was killed, and it was 
believed that some Indians were wounded, though all 
got away. 

This team was owned by the driver and traveled with 
the big train for company and protection, and the team 
being weak for the load it had to haul, was compelled 
to travel behind, so as not to retard the progress of the 
train, and frequently lagged. Numerous small freighters 
were in the habit of traveling in this way. 

Probably no better officer than Lieutenant Hastings 
ever commanded a troop. This was his second cam- 
paign with this troop. And now he was approaching 
ground sacred to the memory of brave men, and there 
was still with the troop a remnant of those who fought 
desperately at the mouth of Coon Creek, now in Pawnee 
County, when in 1846 twelve men out of a detachment of 
twenty under Sergeant "Ben'^ Bishop were wounded, some 
of them fatally, in recovering cattle that had been driven 
off by Indians. Bishop was shot through the body with 
an arrow, but survived and was discharged first sergeant 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 105 

ir 

of the troop in 1849. Sergeant Peel and Bugler Brydon 
kept alive the fires that burned in memory of their 
fallen comrades^ and the spirit that peryaded the little 
command boded no good to the reckless robbers that 
infested the Santa Fe Trail from the Little Arkansas 
River to Mexico. The Indians knew the troop, the 
sorrel horses, the blue shirts worn in the field in place 
of the regulation uniform, the drab hats — the horses 
and men seen when they by forced marches relieved 
Fort Adkinson. In fact they had not forgotten the sor- 
rel troop since 1846. 

Having concentrated the trains and escorted them 
via the so-called Cimarron crossing of the Arkansas, 
about where Cimarron station on the Santa Fe Railway 
now is, to about sixty miles southwest of that point, the 
troop returned and went into camp about where Dodge 
City now is, and about four miles below Fort Adkinson. 
Here the whole Kiowa and Comanche tribes seemed to 
have concentrated in one vast camp on the south side 
of the river, opposite the Dragoon camp. 

Sergeant Cuddy and his party joined from detached 
service a day or two later. I quote from what he and 
others told me: When he returned from Laramie to 
Fort Leavenworth in July, he was, after a few days^ rest, 
ordered to join his troop. In the meantime the "toughs^^ 
of his party got drunk and Colonel Fauntleroy ordered 
four of them to confinement in the guard house until 
ready to start — actually had four horses led to the guard 
house for the prisoners to mount and ride away. Their 



106 



FIYE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



arms were boxed up in the wagon. The men were mad ; 
they had been kept from liquor, could not get any now, 
and were going across the plains with no rest except 
what they got in the guard house. A few miles on the 
road the mutinous disposition was at fever heat. Four 
good men rode behind and two in front of them, while 
Cuddy rode ahead. They cursed the men in the rear 
because they were not allowed to fall out of ranks, and 
finally got so bold that they addressed themselves to 
Cuddy. Then he ordered a halt, wheeled his horse so 
as to face them, loaded two pistols, placed one — army 
size — in his holster with flap thrown back ready for use, 
the other — navy size (his private property) — in his belt, 
and addressing them reviewed all of their misdeeds dur- 
ing the time he had known them, especially the trouble 
they had given him during the trip and since returning, 
and wound up by telling them that now they were sober 
and had not the excuse of drunken men for being inso- 
lent, showing that, drunk or sober, they were utterly 
bad and unfit to live, and then and there assured them 
that the first man who did or said anything to him or 
in his hearing in the least disrespectful he would hill 
him — he should die like a dog; he knew they intended to 
desert and would do so if permitted, but that he would 
return them to the troop or give their worthless carcasses 
to the wolves. A desperate man, fearless, outraged and 
thoroughly aroused, is dangerous, and these villains saw 
that their race was run. He brought them 400 miles in- 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 107 

to camp and they were placed in the guard house at Ad- 
kinson. He told me that these desperadoes had caused 
him the loss of many nights' sleep on the trip to and 
from Laramie and from Fort Leavenworth to the troop. 
Cuddy and six good men were a valuahle addition to the 
troop at this time. Cuddy knew that these scoundrels 
should not have been let out of the guard house to go 
with him, but fearing that Colonel Fauntleroy would 
place a ^vrong interpretation on it if he asked him not 
to send them, his pride kept him silent; he would not 
do anything that would reflect upon his nerve; if noth- 
ing else would do he would kill them. He would have 
been amply justified in doing so. The Colonel meant 
well, but he had not been in Cuddy's place, and could 
not see into his fine character, nor could he imagine the 
character of the villains he had to deal with. 

Company D, Sixth TJ. S. Infantry, was at Adkinson, 
Brevet Captain S. B. Buckner commanding (late gov- 
ernor of Kentucky and candidate for Vice-President on 
the Sound Money Democratic ticket with General John 

M. Palmer). 

Guard duty was extremely arduous, nearly half the 
men being under arms among the horses or on post day 
and night. This constant strain told on the disposition 
of the men more in camp than on active march. They 
became tired and morose, and with the cause of their 
trouble constantly before them, somewhat reckless, and 
would have welcomed almost anything for a change. 

There was no active war. Every day some of the 



108 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

head men of the tribes came into camp to talk with the 
"white chief/' always expressing regret that they 
could not "control their young men." One day while 
this kind of farce was being enacted a young buck 
rushed across the river and reported to the chief, who 
was talking with Lieutenant Hastings, that a few 
miles away some of the ^^Dad younac men" were at- 
tacking a train. Hastings' information led him to be- 
lieve that there were no trains within 150 miles of 
him. That a Government train and escort was on 
the way, with which a caravan of freighters had joined 
at Council Grove, he knew, and he also knew it 
to be too strong to tempt the Indians to attack. The 
actions of the Indians and the commotion in their camp 
made him believe there was something wrong. When 
"boots and saddles" sounded the interviewers broke for 
the other side of the river, and their whole camp seemed 
to be under arms. Their horse herds were rounded up 
and hundreds of the horses saddled. Hastings concluded 
that all of their fine talk for some days had been to 
gain his confidence, and this report was to induce him 
to send a detail to the relief of the train said to be 
besieged, thereby dividing his command, so that a sud- 
den rush could destroy the Dragoon camp and probably 
wipe out the detail afterwards. But instead of dividing 
his command, Hastings made it more secure by tying all 
horses to the picket line, all mules to the wagons, and 
doubling the line of sentinels along the river, thereby 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 109 

plainly indicating that he understood their little ruse. 

And now all grass for the animals was cut with 
butcher knives. Fortunately the grass was abundant, 
and by moving a little up or down the river it could be 
had within convenient distance. This episode some- 
what dampened diplomatic relations between the wily 
waniors and the "long knife chief/' and the effect on 
Ihe soldiers mowing grass with butcher knives was any- 
thing but pleasant. Such strained relations could not 
last very long. We soon got a scythe from Adkinson 
and relieved the butcher knives. 

Guard mounting while on campaign was always in the 
evening. When the old guard was relieved it was marched 
to the river below the camp, and the musketoons dis- 
charged down stream. One fine evening, a few days 
after the incident above referred to. Sergeant Cuddy 
marched the old guard off, and having given the com- 
mand "fire" some of the men deliberately turned their 
pieces and fired across the river into the Indian camp, 
not at the people, but hitting the tops of some lodges. 
Having dismissed the guard. Cuddy reported to Lieu- 
tenant Hastings and explained the occurrence. The men 
were called to account and claimed an accident — a false- 
hood, of course, but might as well go at that. Every 

precaution was taken, and with the river on one side 
and a big ditch running from it, there was perfect con- 
fidence in the ability of that camp to defend itself. 
About nine or ten o'clock, as the gentle south breeze 



no FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

blew across the river, the rattling of lodge poles was 
heard — not loud rattling, as if being carelessly handled, 
but an occasional click, as if great care was being exer- 
cised to avoid making a noise. The Indians were surely 
taking down their lodges. The sound of '^tom-toms,'' 
that made barbarous music for the monotonous chant 
and dance — the war dance, the scalp dance, the squaw 
dance, and every other dance that had hitherto made 
their camp hideous till the wee small hours — was not 
heard on this lovely night. Nothing but the slight rat- 
tle of lodge poles; even the dogs were silent. A mounted 
messenger left camp with a letter to the commanding 
officer at Adkinson informing him of what seemed to 
be taking place. Hour after hour passed, and silence 
reigned supreme — silence that was oppressive. It was 
like a dead calm when storm laden clouds hang thick 
and threatening. The hours from midnight to dawn 
seemed long and tedious. When the sun sent its glim- 
mering rays up the beautiful valley, not a lodge, not u 
soul or an animal was in sight. Where a few hours be- 
fore had stood a large city in all of its savage grandeur, 
with great herds of horses and .mules grazing in the 
vicinity, not a living thing remained save the prowling 
coyotes — all had silently stolen away. The Dragoons 
were puzzled. 

Mounted vedettes went to their posts upon the bluffs 
north of camp; from there and from the tops of wagons 
the Indian camp ground was carefully examined. Peel, 
Cuddy and I crossed over at some distance apart, for 



I'lVE TEARS A DRAGOON. HI 

fear of an ambush, while a line of men on the river 
hank stood ready to support us. For half a mile from 
the river bank towards the hills and two miles along 
the river lodge poles and every kind of Indian equipage 
lay scattered upon the ground. Where each lodge had 
stood more or less of the family property was left. The 
poles were all there. In their haste they had taken 
their best lodges and whatever they could pack that was 
of greatest necessity to them. In a few hours they had 
packed hundreds of horses, and mounted on others had 
scattered in all directions, to meet at some appointed 
rendezvous, probably hundreds of miles away. Not a 
lodge pole trail led from the camp. 

The men were in high spirits, notwithstanding th'3 
probability that after their families were at a safe dis- 
tance the warriors under the great war chief Satanta 
(Sawtanta) might make it warm for them. In two days 
everything desirable for comfort or pleasure had been 
moved to the Dragoon camp and the rest burned. Not 
a vestige of the great Kiowa and Comanche camp re- 
mained. The soldiers had killikinnick by the bushel and 
Indian pipes to smoke it in, and buckskin in every style. 
Buffalo chips were no longer gathered in sacks for fuel, 
lodge poles having taken their place. 

But these Dragoons were not without sentiment and 
sympathy. Emblems of motherly love and helpless in- 
fancy were found in abundance. Pappoose cribs, buck- 
skin clothing for infancy, maidenhood and old age, robes, 



112 FI^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

moccasins, and trinkets of all kinds, told of the terrible 
sacrifice the women and children had made, and there 
was general regret that the helpless ones had left so 
much of home and comfort behind. 

The Indian movement could only be explained by 
supposing that they considered firing into their camp u 
declaration of war. But the Dragoons could not under- 
stand why so many warriors should be so easily bluffed. 
They had heretofore been very independent and saucy. 
While very diplomatic and deceitful, ihe chiefs who 
visited camp acted in a patronizing sort of way, leaving 
the impression that they held the soldiers in utter con- 
tempt. Thev had learned enough to convince them 
that the superiority of the soldier was in his arms, not 
in his horsemanship (for the Kiowas and Comanches 
were the finest horsemen in the world), nor in his 
strength and prowess as a warrior. These athletic, sin- 
ewy sons of the plains were from an ancestry that had 
been warriors since the race was created, so far as known, 
and from their infancy through every stage of their ex- 
istence their normal condition was that of warriors and 
champions of the chase. From, instinct and education 
they were alert, cunning, strategic, recklessly brave, and 
capable of subsisting where white men would utterly 
perish. To say that ?^uch men given equal arms and 
supplies, are not the equals, as rank and file soldiers, 
of any race known to history is bald nonsense. 

Two days after the Indian movement the train and 
escort heretofore referred to, including some artillery, 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 113 

came up en route to New Mexico. Lieuenant Hastings 
was not expecting them so soon. It seems that Indian 
runners brought the news of their approach, and their 
conclusion was that the troops were coming to help 
clear them out, and firing into their camp confirmed 
this belief, hence their sudden departure. It was an odd 
coincidence. 

Major Chilton joined from a six months' leave. 

Two weeks had passed, no Indians had been seen, and 
the two great tribes that harassed the travel and were 
a standing menace to the commerce of the plains were 
believed to have gone to Texas, and would probably ex- 
tend their raid into Old Mexico, as was their habit. 
This had been a bad season for them. They had cap- 
tured no trains, no fresh scalps dangled at their bridle 
bits, and they had met with heavy loss in the destruc- 
tion of their camp. Peace seemed assured for the bal- 
ance of the fr3ighting season. 

Owing to the great amount of travel, the buffalo 
kept away from the road, and to procure fresh meat 
(which we needed very much) it was necessary to go a 
few miles from it. One bright morning Sergeant Peel 
and a comrade got permission to go on a hunt as far 
as what Sergeant Ferguson called "Angel Spring," the 
head of what is now known as South Fork of Pawnee 
Fork of the Arkansas, six miles north of camp, it Le- 
ing understood that Sergeant Cook would be out there 
with a six-mule team about noon to haul in whatever 
the hunters killed. 



114 FIVE YEARS A DRAQ00:N. 

At seventeen years of age Langford M. Peel enlisted 
at Carlisle Barracks as a bugler. His father was a sol- 
dier, and Peel was practically raised in the army. He 
was assigned to ^'B" Troop, commanded by Captain E. Y. 
Sumner. In the spring of 1846, in a battle at the mouth 
of Coon Creek, heretofore referred to. Brevet Captain 
Lovel commanding the troop, Bugler Peel, then not twen- 
ty years of age, was credited with having killed three 
Indians. Three years and a half later, in a battle with 
Pawnees near Fort Kearney, he killed two, and a month 
later, one. He was the best specimen of one hundred 
and sixty pounds, five feet nine inches, naturally bright, 
clear headed, cheerful and helpful always; as keen as an 
Indian on the trail, well up in every branch of prairie 
craft, a perfect horseman, possessing unlimited courage 
and endurance, he was a man to be relied on and trusted 
in every emergency. A full set of such non-commis- 
sioned officers under a good commander would make a 
troop invincible against any reasonable odds. 

Peel and his companion arrived early, drank from the 
lovely spring, watered their horses, and hobbled and 
picketed them for safety. Buffalo were plentiful, and 
seemed perfectly at ease on the grazing ground, indicat- 
ing that they had not been disturbed, and giving assur- 
ance to the hunters that no Indians were in the vicinity. 
Waiting, patiently for the buffalo to go to water, in a 
couple of hours they had two fine ones within a short dis- 
tance of the spring, cut up ready for tTansportation. 
Then they built a fire of buffalo chips, broiled meat^ and 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 115 

feasted as only an Indian or a plainsman can; smoked 
and recounted their adventures. Noon, and Cook and 
the wagon not in- sight. The creek from Angel Spring 
runs a little east of north; on the east, bluffy; in some 
places, vertical, rocky bluffs from ten to thirty feet above 
the level of the creek; to the west, some bottom, gradual- 
ly sloping to high ground. Along the creek, which hugged 
the bluffs pretty closely, was scattered trees, choke cher- 
ry and wild plum bushes, with numerous wild grape 
vines, forming patches of dense thicket in some places. 
Little more than a mile north of the spring a herd of 
buffalo lay in the open bottom. The land lay so that it 
was easy to approach them, and the wind favorable, the 
temptation was great. 

The campaign had been one of monotonous care and 
drudgery, and no mounted hunting had been allowed 
on account of the necessity of keeping the horses in the 
best possible condition, and this was the first good oppor- 
tunity to have some real sport. They agreed to make a 
ten minutes' run to see which could kill the most in that 
time, the pending bet being a good dinner when they 
reached "America.'' Such was civilization called among 
plainsmen. They approached the herd at a walk, and 
were within easy pistol shot before the buffalo saw them. 
Then each went his way. Peel to the west, his companion 
to the east. The latter dropped his first buffalo in the 
bottom, the second ran east to the top of the bluff where 
he fell. The man was down cutting out the tongue, al- 



Jj(i FIMJ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

wa}s llie sportsman's trophy, when the voice of Peel ran 4 
out, as he came np the hill, ^^Get on your horse !'^ No 
time was lost, and looking east he pointed to fifty or 
more Indians in a half circle half a mile away, their left 
wing so far advanced that retreat towards camp was cut 
off. Consultation was brief. Peel led the way down the 
hill, circling around a thicket, carefully selecting the 
firm buffalo grass sod so as to leave no trail, and drew 
into cover not twenty yards from where some of the In- 
dians were sure to come down. Here they sat on their 
horses, pistol in hand. They had no future plans; they 
might have to fight to death under that bluff; they 
would do whatever circumstances seemed to dictate. 

They had not long to wait. The Indians came rat- 
tling down the rocky trails leading into the bottom, send- 
ing out their blood-curdling war-whoop at every jump. 
They seemed to think the fleeing men would try to escape 
towards camp, and be enveloped in the circle; did not 
think they would stop to hide, or that they would do 
anything but run for their lives, which would be sure 
death. Their greatest success had been against demoral- 
ized men who had given up hope and lost their heads, 
which soon made their scalps an easy prey. One brawny 
brave drew rein at the foot of the trail where the men 
had come down, raised himself in his stirrups and looked 
sharply towards them. PeePs companion, believing they 
were discovered, and that a signal would bring the whole 
pack of howling demons, raised his pistol to shoot; but 
I'eel quietly reached ovet, and placing his hand on his 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 1J7 

comrade's arm gently pressed it down. In less time than 
it takes to tell it the Indian was off to the west, showing 
by his actions that he had not seen them. Hearing no 
more noise from the east, the way seemed clear in that 
direction. Peel led the way out, and they quietly walked 
their horses up where they had gone down a few minutes 
before, turned south, and gently trotted towards camp, 
saving their horses' wind for the critical moment which 
they knew must soon come. 

By this time the Indians seemed confused. The hunt- 
ers could see most of them riding helter skelter and peer- 
ing from the highest points to the west of the creek, 
never dreaming that they had passed the game. More 
than half a mile had been covered, not away from the 
enemy, but directly south, slipping by, when suddenly 
they were discovered, and every Indian charged toward 
them furiously. But the hunters' horses were compara- 
tively fresh; they were on the high ground, and as far 
south towards camp as the most southern Indian, with 
four or five miles of nearly level stretch ahead of them, 
while the Indians had to oblique to the east and rise con- 
siderably to gain their level, and they felt that while the 
race would be interesting, barring an accident they were 
pretty safe. The greatest danger was that a horse might 
step in a prairie dog or badger hole and fall, hence they 
rode with great care. 

When fairly under way and all on a level the soldiers 
were a quarter of a mile ahead. Soon the wagon was 
seen. Cook's horse tied behind, while he rode witli Mat- 



118 FIVE TEARS /t DRAGOON. 

thews on the ^lazy board," as they smoked and chatted. 
Then, to attract Cook's attention, and not lose a shot, 
the two hunters turned in their saddles and fired at the 
Indians. Quickly Cook was seen to mount his horse, 
Matthews turned his team, and Cook "interested'' the 
mules with a "blacksnake" whip. About two miles further, 
and the hunters were close to the wagon. A vedette on 
the high point north of ca.mp saw something wrong in 
the distance and discharged his musketoon; then the oth- 
er vedette on another high point discharged his. In the 
meantime the Indians had not been gaining on the men 
until within the last mile, and then only because the 
team impeded their progress a little. Not half of them 
had kept to the front; some were a mile behind. Arrived 
near the vedettes, Matthews was allowed to go down the 
hill alone to camp not half a mile away. Cook joined 
the hunters and shooting began in earnest, including the 
two vedettes, who had been using their musketoons at 
long range for all they were worth. Seeing the hope- 
lessness of capturing their game, and knowing that a 
strong force from the troop would soon be up the hill, 
having lost two ponies and had some of their number 
wounded the Indians retreated. At the risk of their lives 
they always carry off the dead and wounded if possible. 
When Lieutenant Hastings with half of the troop came up 
the steep hill the Indians were well on the retreat, and 
he followed them only a short distance beyond the crip- 
pled ponies. Horse flesh was too precious to be wasted in 
a pursuit that could accomplish nothing. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 119 

No fresh meat cheered the camp that night, but it 
was a jolly camp. All answered to their names at retreat 
roll call. There was something new to talk about, as the 
men sat around lodge pole fires and related the tradi- 
tions of the grand old troop. 

The next day Major Chilton with a part of the troop, 
including those in the excitement of the previous day, 
went to the spring, killed more buffalo and returned 
with a wagon load. No Indians were seen, and the 
wolves were feasting on the buffalo killed the day before. 
Of course. Major Chilton examined the ground that Peel 
and his companion had gone over, including the hiding 
place and the race course. 

Now, when Peel discovered the Indians he was half a 
mile west of his comrade and nearly one and a half from 
the Indians. He could have easily escaped by going 
south -towards camp. He had scarcely one chance in ten 
to save his friend, but he took that chance, such as it 
was, in the face of almost sure death. He saw the thick- 
et and the steep shelving bluff as he went up the hill. To 
hide there seemed the extreme of recklessness, but he 
builded better than he knew. Until that moment he 
had no idea how to act unless they got on a high point 
and with their pistols stood off the Indians until help 
should come. The latter was all he hoped for, and he 
knew that if Cook saw the situation, that hero in every 
emergency would join the two or die. One iota of weak- 
ness would have induced Peel to abandon his friend and 
save himself, and how easily Cook could have left the 



120 FI^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

teamster and rode to camp for the troop, as many a cow- 
ard has done, and been counted a hero for the noise he 
' made. But no such weakness troubled his manly soul. 
Like Peel, he was a born hero. The vedettes on the 
bluffs could have pulled their picket pins, mounted their 
horses and rode into camp after discharging their guns — 
such were their general instructions; but they saw their 
comrades in trouble, and Charles McDonald and Edward 
O'Meara confirmed the faith that they had in them. 

And what became of the Indians who pursued the 
hunters? A freight train returning from New Mexico 
saw a band of Indians^ — ^^supposed to be the same — some 
distance south of the Cimarron Crossing a day or two 
later, and corralled to stand them off, but the Indians 
seemed in a hurry and did not trouble the train. These 
were the last Indians seen on the trail that season. 

To put in a little more time and make sure that there 
was no further danger to trains, Majo'r Chilton went up 
the river about ten days, traveling about five miles per 
day — going through the skirmish drill all the way — the 
principal object being to get fresh grass and exercise for 
the horses and practice for the men. We returned leis- 
urely along the trail, met F. X. Aubry, the champion rid- 
er of the plains. Colonel William Bent, of Bent's Fort, 
and Maxwell, of Riado, New Mexico. All were of the 
opinion that the Indians would not return to the trail 
that season. From Pawnee Fork we made time for home 
— Fort Leavenworth. 

At Council Gr/ove we got corn — the first in two 



FIVS YEARS A DRAGOON. 121 

months — and fed a quart to each horse and mnle night 
and morning from there in. Our horses were thin in 
flesh but otherwise in good condition. We had but the 
two company wagons for transportation of rations, tents 
and other camp equipage. Of course, we drew rations at 
-Adkinson when necessary. 

All the way in the grass was dead. Plenty of buifalo 
from Pawnee Fork to the east line of what is now Mc- 
Pherson County, and turkey on every stream. They 
had never been hunted, hence not easily scared, and were 
big and fat. 

On arriving at the fort the Major found an order 
waiting for him to escort and act with Major Ogden, 
quartermaster, to locate a new military post near the 
junction of the Republican and Smoky Hill branches of 
the Kaw River. In three davs fifty men had clothing 
replenished, rations and forage drawn, some horses shod, 
and were on the road. Sufficient transportation was 
taken to haul corn for the animals. The most unservice- 
able men and horses were left behind. Lieutenant Hast- 
ings in charge of them. The Santa Fe Trail was follow- 
ed to the crossing of Soldie'r Creek, four miles north of 
Pappan's Ferry, thence to Silver Lake — ^up the Kaw 
through St. Mary's Mission, where Father Deurinck had 
a flourishing school for Pottawatomie children, thence 
fifty-two miles to the junction of the rivers above men- 
tioned. A week was spent in that vicinity, resulting in 
the location of the new post, afterwards named Fort Riley, 
about 130 miles from Fort Leavenworth. A band of 



122 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON, 

Delaware Indians returning from a buffalo hunt said 
there were plenty of buffalo twenty-five miles west of the 
new post. We were never wiihout turkey a^ter reaching 
the Big Blue River until our return. It was a little late 
in the season, nights cold, but no rain or snow, and with 
big fires and plenty to eat, the trip was rather pleasant. 
Having arrived in Salt Oreek Valley, three miles from 
Fort Leavenworth, Major Chilton made a speech to the 
troop, in which he gave them excellent advice concerning 
their conduct in garrison. (Major Ogden v, as a strictly 
temperate, religious man, and I always thought that he 
inspired this speech.) They had made a good campaign, 
a campaign that should be a credit to any troop. Un- 
fortunately there were men who would become intoxi- 
cated, get in trouble and cause trouble for every one 
hiiving anything to do with them. He advised them that 
whiskey was their worst enemy, and if they drank at all 
not to get drunk, and assured them that leniency for 
those who did need not be expected, for he would not 
have his troop destroyed in that way. I think that speech 
did much good; moderate drinkers watched the fellows 
who had little control of themselves, and curtailed the 
excesses. 

Heretofore during winter about ten per cent, of the 
troop were undergoing punishment in the guard house, 
much of the time by sentence of garrison court martial — 
forfeiture of pay and time in the guard house — nearly 
all of the offenses growing out of drinking whiskey. I 
talked with the noncommissioned officers about it, and 
cautioned each one in charge of a squad to give personal 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 123 

attention to their men and stop any man who seemed to 
be verging on the danger point in drinking, and if he 
could not control him bring him to me. Sometimes a 
man was brought to me and I shut him in a store room 
to sober off and then put him on extra duty for punish- 
ment. During the winter we had several company courts 
niartial, three noncommissioned officers sitting in judg- 
ment;, and the proceedings reviewed and acted upon by 
the first sergeant. Of course, the written proceedings 
were not very voluminous. The result was, no man was 
ti'ied by general or garrison court martial; summary 
courts were unknown. Another result, some men were 
doing extra guard and fatigue duty instead of loafing in 
the guard house and letting better men do their duty. 
When a man could not be managed without violence he 
went to the guard house, but much of the time "B" Troop 
was not represented there. 

If punishment was not immediately meted out to an 
offender, his record was fairly kept and he was sure to be 
called on for the next fatigue party (details for fatigue 
to do some kind of dirty work), and during the whole 
winter scarcely a decently clean soldier was called upon — 
always the troublesome fellows got the job. Twice the 
findings of a court and the approval of the first sergeant 
were appealed from and the parties sent with a noncom- 
missioned officer to the Major, who heard their com- 
plaint, and sent back word to me that if I had any more 
trouble with them to put them in the guard house.' No 
officer ever saw the proceedings of the company courts; 



124 ^lyE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

they did not want to. I gave all the dissatisfied ones to 
raiderstand that if they had any grievance I would send 
them to the Major to make their own statement. 

Of course we did not always have peace and happi- 
ness, nor freedom from drunkenness, but we came nearer 
having home rule — self government — government within 
the troop and by the members of it than any of the old- 
est members had before seen. It was a little binding on 
ten per cent, of them who were taught many good les- 
sons in respectful demeanor and language towards non- 
commissioned officers; they could not hide insolence and 
abuse under the cloak of drunk, and hence not account- 
able. There was much whiskey drunk and no effort made 
to conceal it. "Budgen-ken," a sort of company club, in 
a place fixed up between the two stables, was always sup- 
pilied, each drinker "chipping in" to buy whiskey, and 
the men were given to understand that any abuse of the 
privilege would insure its destruction. No whiskey was 
allowed in the quarters, a rule which was closely lived 
up to. 

Soon after returning to quarters, the Major came to 
the orderly room and broached the subject of a company 
library. He had learned the cost of "Harper's Classical 
and Family Libraries"; a pair of book cases, with hinges 
closing the edges on one side, and two locks the edges on 
the other side, held the library of uniform size and bind- 
ing. When open the title of each book could be read, 
and when closed no book could move or get out of place; 
the books were all the same length and breadth, and an 
excellent collection. The Major led off with a subscrip- 



FIVE TEAR& A DRAGOON. 125 

tion of $25.00. I followed with the same, Peel the same, 
then followed a calculation of what percentage would be 
due from each man in proportion to his pay to make up 
enough to pay for the whole. I took the list with each 
man's name. The Major spoke to the troop on the sub- 
ject at the retreat roll call, explaining to them the advan- 
tages of so much good reading matter, and before dismis- 
sing the troop I requested each man who wanted to sub- 
scribe to come to the orderly room and sign the list pledg- 
ing himself to pay the amount opposite his name on pay 
day. Most of the men off duty and at liberty signed im- 
mediately and the others soon after, and the library was 
assured with scarcely an effort. The Major collected the 
money at the pay table, and the books in their cases 
came on the first steamboat in February. Of course the 
library was sure to give me some trouble, but it was so 
popular and had such a good effect that with Bugler Bry- 
don's help I got used to it and ceased to look upon it as a 
burden. Compared to present usage there was little 
Avriting to be done in transacting troop business, and 1 
never had a regular clerk. Lieutenant Hastings always 
assisted with the muster rolls and anything else that I 
asked him to; he liked to do it; and by calling in a man 
for two or three days in a month I was never much crowd- 
ed with writing. 

Our troop ball came off — a decided improvement 
over that of the previous winter. 

A few recruits from Carlisle came up on a steamboat 
soon after we came in. The lance sergeant in charge, a 
cultivated gentleman, said little about himself except 



126 FI^^ YaiARS A DRAGOON. 

that he had experienced ups and downs in business; had 
lived some time in Cuba, and knew considerable of the 
business world. He seemed to have no bad habits, and 
was soon made a corporal. He made the next summer's 
campaign and spent the following winter with us, and was 
discharged in the spring of 1854 by order of the Secre- 
tary of War. He was the son of United States Senator 
Clark, of Rhode Island. He was commissioned first 
lieutenant First — now Fourth — Cavalry when it was au- 
thorized in 1855, served a couple of years and resigned to 
take a position in a business house in Leavenworth. Drift- 
ing along with varying fortune, he became hospital 
steward of the Military Prison when it was established, 
and died there several years ago. I have mentioned this 
case to show the ups and downs in some good men's lives.* 

■*Hartford T. Clark was born in 1827, and is a descendant of 
Revolutionary stock of prominence. His maternal great grand- 
father was none other than Stephen Hopkins, one of the two 
delegates from Rhode Island who signed the Declaration of 
Independence. After learning the trade of a pharmacist he 
enlisted in the army in New York, and was sent to Carlisle 
Barracks, Pennsylvania, from which he in due time reached the 
First Dragoons. Upon his discharge from the service he was 
appointed a first lieutenant in the 1st Cavalry, the date in the 
records being given as March 3, 1855, an appointment which 
expired by limitation May 1, 1856 He again enlisted in the 
array, and his knowledge as pharmacist being valuable, was 
appointed a hospital steward in January, 1860. He served as 
such much of the time at Jefferson Barracks, having been 
transferred there from Fort Leavenworth, and was discharged 
July 30, 1' 63. He is again found in the army in 1875, for 
early in that year he was appointed hospital steward again 
and assigned to duty at the U. S. Military Prison at Fort 
Leavenworth, where he served until the date of his death, June 
7, 1881. Prior to his death he made a request of the military 
authorities that upon the death of his wife her burial at his 



FIYE TEARS A DRAGOON. 127 

Another man in this same squad of recruits was a 
tall, fine looking, rather polished man, with a fine set of 
dental instruments, and proved to be a fine workman; a 
genial, cheerful fellow, he made friends easily (Worrell 
by name), became a corporal, then a sergeant. But I skip 
his history until I left the troop, of which he hoped to 
be first sergeant at the expiration of my time, but through 
my influence failed, and was the only man that I did not 
shake by the hand and say ''good by" to when I left the 
troop. To be brief, lie got discharged, and when the 
First, now the Fourth Cavalry, was raised, enlisted and 
was made first sergeant of one of the troops, served about 
a year and then with some company funds and the farrier 
of his troop deserted, taking with them horses and equip- 
ments and pistols. Down towards Jefferson City, Mis- 
souri, they stopped at a plantation for the night and there 
met a Mr. Gordon, chief engineer of the Missouri Pacific 
Eailroad, then being built between St. Louis and Jeffer- 
son City. In the morning all three left the plantation 
on horseback traveling the same road. A few miles on 
the road Worrell shot Gordon from behind, robbed him 
of considerable money and hid his body in some brush. 
But the history of this case, the capture of the murderer 

side be permitted. A lot was so left vacant, and upon her 
demise, in 1897. her body was deposited in the spot she had 
hoped some day to be placed to be near her husband. She 
\\as the grand-daughter of Count DeSanno, who came to the 
United States with Lafayette and later located in Pennsyl- 
vania. Mr. John Clark, the eldest of two sons and the second 
of five children of Hartford T., is at present employed as as- 
sistant engineer in the Quartermaster's Department at Fort 
Leavenworth. — [Editor.] 



128 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

and his execution after several trials, in which his good 
father and mother spent much money, is recorded in the 
proceedings of the courts, and I refer to it here to prove 
the correctness of my judgment in regard to this man's 
character. 

Spring came, and early in April we were on the way 
to the Arkansas. The desertions during the winter were 
not numerous, and they not damaging. A few horses 
had been turned over to the Quartermaster and new ones 
received, so that we were again well mounted. 

Fort Adkinson was to be abandoned, and in its stead 
a camp established on Walnut Creek near its confluence 
with the Arkansas. We took along teams and citizen 
teamsters to transport the Government property from 
the Arkansas to the new camp, and utilized them to haul 
forage for our horses, so that we were able to feed twb 
quarts of corn to each horse every day for some time, 
and finally came down to one quart. We were supplied 
Fo that we had some corn all summer. 

This was one of the most trying seasons in my ex- 
perience. 

Having spent the night at Cow Creek, the next 
camp would be ^'Big Bend" of the Arkansas, eighteen 
miles. About midway between these points, now in Eice 
County, was a line of high sandy hills, called "Sand 
Buttes," sometimes "Plum Buttes." With his usual 
prudence and fore-thought in passing through broken 
country and in crossing streams, a habit which had en- 
abled him to travel with one troop through all the tribes 
from the North Platte to Mexico, and from the Missouri 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 129 

tc the mountains without being surprised, the Major 
threw out skirmishers;, a corporal and four men, riding 
twenty-five or thirty yards apart. Having reached the 
highest "Butte'^ the corporal discharged his pistol, the 
four men rallied on him, the troop moved forward quickly, 
part thrown out in line of skirmishers. Ten yards from 
the corporal was a dead Mexican, and within a hundred 
yards two more. One was still breathing, and blood was 
trickling from their scalped heads. Away down towards 
the Arkansas was a large Mexican train. The dead men 
belonged to it, and were hunting antelope in the hills 
when killed. Ponies and arms were gone. They were 
evidently completely surprised. After following the 
Indian trail a short distance it was completely obliterated 
by countless thousands of buffalo- tracks. The Mexican 
train was corralled on the plain below and the Dragoons 
moved to it, but they had corralled to let the herds of 
buffalo pass by, and had not seen any Indians. 

From Cow Creek to Coon Creek travel was nearly 
blocked by buffalo. Standing on any high point as far as 
the eye could reach, a vast moving mass could be seen, 
making the earth tremble with their trampling and bel- 
lowing. 

We arrived at camp near Adkinson; "D^^ Company 
Sixth Infantry moved to the new camp on Walnut Creek; 
Major Chilton and Lieutenant Hastings located in the 
commanding officer's quarters, which was a pretty com- 
fortable sod building, and the men of the troop occupied 
the soldiers^ quarters. 



130 ^I^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

Sergeant Cook, acting wagonmaster, made regular 
trips to and from the new camp, moving everything that 
could be utilized in completing it. On one of his trips, 
one morning after leaving camp on Pawnee Fork, Cook 
was asleep in the front wagon ; he never got a good night's 
sleep on these trips. His little escort of two infantry- 
men to each wagon was also asleep. The teams were mov- 
ing along up the incline from the Pawnee Fork bottom 
to the "dry route," by the head of Coon Creek, when 
suddenly a band of Indians came up, stopped the train 
and demanded a feast, etc. Cook hurried out and mount- 
ed his horse. He was pointed out as the chief, and to 
their demand for "tobac"' he said "No,'' when the leader 
hit him a vicious blow with his "quirt" or riding whip 
and raised his bow and arrow. Cook shot the Indian, 
who fell from his horse, and shot two more who clung to 
their horses as they ran off. The escort was out of the 
wagons by this time, but Cook had done the work and 
the band was gone, about a dozen. Realizing that prob- 
ably this was only a small party from a larger force near 
by. Cook straightened out his teams, left the dead Indian 
and made the best time he could. This happened about 
9 a. m. The next morning before sunrise a vedette call- 
ed attention to a train down the road some miles traveling 
unusually fast. I reported to Major Chilton, who told 
me to mount ten men and go down to meet the train, 
which I did, and met Cook two miles below camp. He 
had traveled over fifty miles in twenty hours, watering 
and feeding a little twice. He knew the Indians to be 
Osages, supposed to be entirely friendly, but stealing and 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 131 

robbing whenever they could bluff a small party. A de- 
tachment of dragoons accompanied the train the next 
day, which wound up the moving. 

News had come that a ^'pow-wow^' was to be held at 
or near Adkinson during the summer, and large amounts 
of presents would be distributed; that in addition to the 
Kiowas and Comanches, the Prairie Apaches would be 
there, and that Major Fitzpatrick on the part of the In- 
dian Department would superintend the distribution. Of 
course it meant the three tribes in full force. 

Until the final movement of Indians after the 
distribution of presents one-half of the troop was on 
guard at night and one-fourth during the day. Sentinels 
called the number of post, the hour and "All ^s well !" 
every half hour during the night. In daytime the horses 
were herded a short distance below the post. The In- 
dians were not allowed north of the river unless visiting 
by permission. 

This condition of things lasted two months. Major 
Chilton had a great many talks with leading men of the 
Kiowa and Comanche tribes. Satanta, the war chief of 
the Kiowas, always came rather neatly dressed in fine 
buckskin, and wore a handsome cavalry saber and belt. 
He was a man about five feet ten, sparely made, muscu- 
lar, cat-like in his movements — more Spanish than In- 
dian in his appearance — sharp features, thin lips, keen 
restless eyes, thin mustache and scattering chin whiskers 
that seemed to have stopped growing when one to three 
inches long. At the time of which I write he was about 
thirty-five years old. He invariably came with one ser- 



132 FiyE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

vant, a Mexican Indian, to the line of sentinels, dismount- 
ed, leaving his handsome horse and Spanish equipments 
with the servant. Always before allo^^ing an Indian 
to come inside the line of sentinels the sergeant of the 
guard was called, who escorted the visitor to the com- 
manding officer, permission having been given for the 
visitor to come in. 

Usually the conversations between the Major and 
Satanta were apparently pleasant, though sometimes the 
latter became somewhat emphatic. He complained of 
the treatment the Indians received from the whites, the 
manner in which they overran the country, destroyed the 
game and ignored the Indians' rights, and his eyes 
flashed as he jammed the end of his saber scabbard in- 
to the ground. Sometimes the Major recounted the 
efforts made by the Government to look after the wel- 
fare of the Indians, and the treacherous manner in 
which such efforts were taken advantage of. Satanta, 
excited, and his black eyes flashing, was scarcely a match 
for the Major, whose big black eyes fairly blazed when 
he chose to be emphatic. The Major always tried to 
be pacific and just, admitting many wrongs complained 
of, but never permitting a threat, even by innuendo, to 
pass without an emphatic rebuke. He felt that Satanta 
was a superior, intelligent man, and treated him as such. 
There was a good deal in common with these two men. 
Both had tempers easily excited, unbounded energy, 
boldness and courage. Educated and civilized, Satanta 
would have been a match for the Major anywhere. In 
cunning, Indian duplicity and shrewdness he was a full 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. I33 

match; but the Major was not a man to be trapped, flat- 
tered, coaxed, driven or bluffed, and if the combined 
Kiowa and Comanche tribes had him surrounded he 
would roll his black eyes with their broad white borders, 
def}^ them and threaten to "wipe them off the face of 
the earth,'^ and no man living could come nearer making 
them believe it. Every man of his troop capable of im- 
bibing a stern determined spirit of defense knew that 
his threats, though sometimes extravagant in the face 
of overwhelming thousands, would be defended to the 
bitter end. His watchfulness, care, prudence and clear 
conception of Indian character were his best safeguards. 
He could never be caught napping; there was no earthly 
danger of surprise, and no seventy-five men under such 
discipline, with such a commander, armed as we were, 
had been overwhelmed by men carrying bows and arrows 
and lances only; hence staunch, steady confidence, from 
which there' was no swerving, reigned supreme in our 
camp, and men endured the hardships without complain- 
ing. About the most comfortable place during the heat 
of the day was under a tent fly stretched near my order- 
ly room, and there I had a good opportunity of seeing 
and hearing what passed between the Major and others. 
One day when the conversation had been quite ani- 
mated, the Major looked steadily at Satanta and made 
an emphatic assertion of what he would do if certain 
trains then on the road were interfered with. Satanta 
always spoke Mexican Spanish in talking with the Ma- 
jor, who could understand fairly well what he said, but 



134 FiyE TEARS A DRAGOON, 

when in doubt had the interpreter tell him. The inter- 
preter talked wholly hj signs, never speaking a word 
to Indians. He was a wonder in that way, and under- 
stood the sign language of every tribe on the plains. 
The Major talked entirely through the interpreter. Al- 
though a mountaineer and desperado, the Major^s threat 
was so bold that he was afraid to interpret it correctly, 
hesitated and made few motions, all of which the Major 
noticed, and Satanta's mild, unconcerned attitude con- 
vinced him that he had not been fully interpreted, and 
he called for a file of the guard, which came quickly, 
and Pyle (the interpreter) found .himself tied to the 
wheel of a cannon which stood near by, and there he 
remained until dark, when he was confined in the guard 
house, to remain, as the Major said, "until he could tell 
the truth.'' "A life sentence,'' said O'Meara. Satanta 
was made to understand the threat, and why the man 
was tied to the wheel. He soon took his departure, and 
did not come again until Major Fitzpatrick came to 
make the ''big talk," as the Indians called it. Strange 
as it may appear at this time, there was no representative 
of the Indian Department except Major Fitzpatrick, 
none of the army except the officers of "B" Troop, and 
no correspondent to write up the grand "pow-wow" — 
30,000 Indians, Apaches, Kiowas and Comanches. To- 
day the principal newspapers of the country, including 
the illustrated papers, would have special correspondents 
on the ground. At that time any one except the nec- 
essary officials, attaches and military officers would have 
been an incumbrance. 



FIYE TEARS A DRAGOON. 135 

In a smaller way this was as important a distribu- 
tion of presents to the Indians as was that in 1851 
at the month of Horse Creek. If it had any newspaper 
record I never heard of it. The big ox train came in, 
the wily Apaches (called Prairie Apaches to distinguish 
them from those ranging in southern New Mexico and 
Arizona), the Kiowas and Comanches having assembled 
in full force, the goods were unloaded, boxes and bales 
opened, the nabobs of the tribes decorated in brilliant 
uniforms, medals and certificates issued, goods parceled 
•out, winding up with plenty to eat, feasting, sham bat- 
tles, etc. The Apaches were off their home ground and 
anxious to return. Major Fitzpatrick seemed equally 
anxious to have the job over with and kept his little 
working force and a couple of clerks pushing things. 
The long drawn out dignity of the Horse Creek treaty 
was lacking. 

Major Fitzpatrick had the confidence of these as he 
did of all other Indians on the plains. They claimed 
that in the twenty years they had known him as agent 
or trader he had never lied to or tried to deceive them 
in any way, and that his advice had always been good — 
a certificate of character that few coud get. 

The presents having been distributed, the Indians 
went south, probably not to return during the season; 
all the available material at Adkinson had been moved 
and the sods level to the ground. We had not seen a 
buffalo in more than two months or any fresh meat of 
any kind except some prairie dogs which Peel and I 
killed with the only rifle in the troop; no one hunted 



136 F^^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

Avith it except us. The musketoons did not shoot accu- 
rately enough^ and no one was permitted to waste am- 
munition. From time to time we killed enough of the 
little barkers to make a stew, and found them quite as 
good as the common gray squirrel. Parboiled and then 
stewed with a little fat bacon made them taste pretty 
well to men who had been so long without fresh meat. 
Owing to the proximity of the Indians there was no 
other game to be had. 

From our surroundings during the last month we 
were in a critical position. It would take but a spark 
to inflame the powerful tribes confronting us, and sev- 
eral happenings seemed to have brought the climax. A 
lot of trains were corralled a little below and not per- 
mitted to pass on until the distribution of presents and 
the Indians had moved off. To detail the incidents would 
be tedious and unnecessary to this narrative. For a 
month Lieutenant Hastings and I divided the night be- 
tween us, half and half, each acting as officer of the 
guard and often walking from sentinel to sentinel all 
the way around the line, half the company on guard and 
half the guard on post at one time. I relieved Lieuten- 
ant Hastings at midnight and tried to make up sleep 
by an afternoon nap. The quarters were full of fleas, 
the old sod walls full of mice and snakes, and were soon 
abandoned for the more comfortable tents. Compared 
to fleas, bedbugs are pets. Spread out a soldier's blanket 
and see thousands of fleas hopping from an inch to a 
foot high, enjoying the warm rays of the sun and ex- 
ercise, after a successful night with a soldier. The two 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 137 

dozen cats that Lieutenant Heath brought from Fort 
Leavenworth two years before were perfect wrecks; they 
could not digest mice enough to counteract the ravages 
of fleas, and moped about utterly discouraged. 

The Indians had been gone a week, the Mexican 
trains straightened out up the river, the troop escorting 
them to the Cimarron crossing and two days south of 
it, returned to the crossing and went up the Arkansas 
to "Big Timbers" (Bent^s new fort), and returned to 
Adkinson, now only heaps of broken sod leveled to the 
ground, so that from it the Indians could not ambush 
mail carriers, express riders or other small parties. 

It was the 1st of October when we left the vicin- 
ity of the dismantled fort to return to Fort Leavenworth. 
One day we camped at the mouth of Coon Ct-eek, on 
the Arkansas, about noon. This was "B" T'roop's bat- 
tle ground, where in the spring of 1846 Sergeant Bishop 
with twenty men recovered a herd of 400 oxen that had 
been stampeded by Indians heretofore referred to. Peel 
explained to the Major aU the interesting features of 
the fight. 

On the opposite side of the river was a line of high 
bluffs, craggy and abrupt, with some buffalo trails lead- 
ing out on to a narrow strip of bottom land between 
the river and the bluffs. Buffalo on the south side were 
numerous, and little bands came out of the bluffs across 
the bottom to the river to drink. I took Company 
Teamster Matthews with his saddle mule with me and 
crossed over. When a buffalo had been killed we were 
to pack Matthews^ mule and bring to camp all the meat 



138 FIYB TEARS A DRAGOON. 

he could carry. After winding aronnd through the trails 
in the bluffs for some time I killed a fat cow between 
the bluffs and the river. We picketed our animals and 
proceeded to prepare the meat for transportation to 
camp. We were busy cutting up the buffalo when we 
heard a splashing in the water; looking up we saw Lieu- 
tenant Hastings with half the troop coming at a trot. 
This trotting crossing the river meant urgency, and we 
mounted at once. It was all clear to me that nothing 
less than Indians skulking after Matthews and myself 
induced the rapid movement towards us. We joined 
Lieutenant Hastings, who said that some Indians had 
been seen watching us, and the last seen of them they 
were creeping towards us through the bluffs. Lieutenant 
Hastings wanted to get around them or behind them 
so they could not escape. I showed him a trail that I 
thought might lead to their rear. He left half the men 
to watch the trail that the Indians were believed to be 
on while we moved quickly on the trail that I believed 
would cut off their retreat. Sure enough we drove them 
out, found them to be Osages, four in number, and did 
some loud talking to keep Cuddy, Cook and others from 
shooting them as they came out. They professed all 
sorts of friendship, but did not succeed in convincing 
any one but that Matthews and I owed the safety of our 
scalps to the fact that they were seen by a vedette near 
camp, and the prompt action of the troop. We finished 
the buffalo, loaded the mule with all he could carry and 
brought the Indians to camp. Major Chilton turned 
them loose with a threat to 'Svipe the Osages off the 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. I39. 

face of the earth" if they did not keep off the traveled 
road and leave white people entirely alone. 

I^othing of special interest occurred nntil we reached 
Diamond Springs, now in Morris County. The weather 
had been frosty at night and days sunny — a continuous 
Indian summer all the way — grass dry as powder. We 
had barely a quart of corn per day for each horse, and 
they were poor. All day we had seen little bands of 
Indians a mile or two off the road traveling the same 
direction that we were and apparently watching us. This 
was the Kaw country and rrobably no other Indians were 
there, and we could hardly understand why they kept 
aloof and watcted our progress. Of course the Kaws 
knew our troop by the horses, and we knew they had 
no love for it, but were slow to believe they would at- 
tempt to do us any harm. We camped on high ground 
a little east of Diamond Springs, on the south side of 
the road. We had been very careful of fire all the way 
in, and here we were especially careful on account of 
the dense growth of grass and consequent danger of 
burning the camp. We had finished dinner, about two- 
hours before sunset when, as if by one act, fire broke 
out in a circle all around us not more than a mile from 
camp. A stiff gale was blowing from the south, and 
when we noticed it the fire in the tall grass was roar- 
ing furiously and the flames leaping twenty feet high.. 
Quickly we commenced firing outside of our camp, whip- 
ping out the fire next to it, thereby burning a circle 
around it. Every man used n gunnysack or saddle 
blanket and worked with desperate energy. The utter- 



140 I^iyE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

destruction of our camp was imminent, and we faced 
the fire like men who had everything at stake. Success 
was ours, but the battle left its scars on nearly all. I 
have never seen fifteen minutes of such desperate work 
followed by such exhaustion — scarcely a man could 
speak. Blinded by smoke, heat and ashes, intuitively 
we found our way to the creek, bathed our burned hands 
and faces, many of us terribly blistered. My hands and 
face were blistered in several places; my mustache and 
whiskers, the first I had ever raised, were utterly ruined; 
even my eyebrows were badly scorched. I could not 
wash on account of the blisters, and dipped my face and 
head deep down into the lovely spring water and held 
my hands under to relieve the pain. My experience 
w^as that of most of the troop. We had quite a quan- 
tity of antelope tallow, which was warmed and gently 
applied to our sores. Undoubtedly the Kaws had set 
the fire to burn us out, and while they did not quite 
succeed^ if thej had seen us they should have been fairly 
well satisfied. I think that Major Chilton and Lieuten- 
ant Hastings were better -satisfied with the troop than 
they had ever been before. Men who could stand to- 
gether in such a fight and win could stand against des- 
perate odds anywhere. I was instructed to notify the 
troop at retreat roll call that we would start at day- 
light. The guards were doubled, and we rested as best 
we could. 

Just out of camp we met the sun squarely in the 
face, but fortunately it soon became cloudy, which was 
a great relief. At Council Grove we got some corn from 



' FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 141 

Hays & Company and went on to Big John Spring, three 
miles east, where we camped at noon. 

Major Chilton told me to be ready to go back to 
Council Grove right after dinner. When I asked if I 
should take any one with me, he said, "No, you will go 
alone/^ About half past one I reported myself with 
horse saddled (an extra one which I took to save mine). 
He gave me a sealed letter directed to myself, and told 
me I could read it on the road to save time. Inclosed 
in my letter I found one directed to Mr. Hoffaker, a 
young man who was school teacher of the Kaw Indians, 
requesting him to furnish me an interpreter which he 
(the Major) had spoken of when he came through the 
Grove. My instructions were to proceed with the inter- 
preter to the Kaw village, said to be three miles down 
the Neosho Eiver, and there make a demand of the 
chief that he have five horses, stolen the spring before 
from some "mounted rifles" camped at Walnut Creek 
(now in Barton County), brought to his (Chilton^s) camp 
at Big John Spring. 

Mr. Hoffaker had the interpreter ready, one Bat- 
teese, a Pottawatomie by birth, but married to a Kaw 
and living with them. Batteese talked good English and 
was quite intelligent, but when I told him that I was 
after stolen horses and would make a demand on the 
chief he seemed reluctant to go or would rather go with- 
out me (he lived with the Kaws and was afraid to make 
enemies). Of course, I could not send him; my orders 
were to go myself. When we arrived at the village 
three miles down, we learned that the chief was at the 



142 FIYE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

lower village^, two miles farther down, and there we 
went. We found the chief, whose name I regi'et to have 
forgotten, in a round house huilt of mud and willows 
at the west end of the village. An Indian woman came 
out as we went to the door and we found the chief 
alone, lying on a willow mattress, not feeling very well, 
as he told the interpreter. However, he was dressed 
and talked pleasantly in reply to all I said. He be- 
lieved there were some Government horses among tha 
Kaws that some of the young men claimed to have 
found. While we talked, Indians came in and packed 
the house full, and a crowd stood outside. Most of them 
had no arms. 

My appearance seemed to be quite a source of 
amusement for a lot of young bucks, and they nodded 
and chatted about me in a merry way, and I knew they 
had reference to my burnt face and hands tied up in 
rags, and doubtless the scoundrels who set fire to the 
grass were before me. For some time I had not said 
anything; I wanted to kill a lot of Kaws; they seemed 
to know that I was suffering mentally as well as phys- 
ically, and were amusing themselves at my expense. I 
could see that the chief was embarrassed. He seemed 
to be a sensible, good man, and these thieving scoun-^ 
drels were riding over the country committing depre- 
dations and causing him a lot of trouble, rinallyl rose 
to go, and told the interpreter to say to the chief that 
my captain knew the Kaws had the five horses, and that 
they stole them from a camp on Walnut Creek last 
spring, and that unless they were delivered in camp at 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. I43 

Big John Spring the troop would come down and take 
them. I did not want to offend the chief, but to impress 
the thieves. I spoke in rather an angry tone, and the 
interpreter hesitated. I turned to him abruptly and said: 
"Interpret what I say, quickly, every word of it.^^ An 
Indian about thirty years old, who was known as Clark, 
had been watching me closely, and at this juncture he 
spoke in plain English: "Who tole you I stole um 
horses?" "No matter," said I, "who told me, I knoW' 
you stole them, and unless they are in my camp by the 
time I get there 1 11 make you sorry you did steal 
them." I shook the chief^s hand and said "good by" 
and came out through the crowd, the interpreter fol- 
lowing. We mounted and galloped off. About four or 
five miles, mostly up Big John Creek, brought us to 
camp. 

I reported to Major Chilton all that had happened, 
and wound up by saying that I hoped my threat would 
be carried out. The interpreter was much agitated, and 
said that he thought the horses would be brought in by 
to-morrow. "To-morrow!" said Major Chilton, "they'll 
bring them to-night, or 1 11 teach them a lesson they Tl 
never forget, the thieving scoundrels. I don't propose 
to make another campaign against the Kaws in winter. 
I am here now, and while I don't want to hurt innocent 
men, half the Kaws ought to be wiped off the face of 
the earth, and my men have a mighty good excuse for 
doing it. Sergeant Lowe, take twenty men and bring 
the horses or the chief ; 1 11 show them." 

My saddle was changed from the extra horse I had 

lU- 



144 FI^E I'EARS A DRAGOON. 

been riding to my own, and in a few minutes twenty 
as good men as ever roamed the plains were in colunm 
of twos on the way with me to the Indian camp. We 
left our sabers in camp, they rattled too much, taking 
our revolvers only and plenty of ammunition. The in- 
terpreter was cautioned by the Major to interpret as T 
directed him. As I rode away the Major cautioned me 
to be prudent, and not hurt the chief. A low line of 
bluffs or hills formed the east bank of Big John Creek 
to within half a mile of the chief's house, which was 
at the upper or west end of this village. Before pass- 
ing this point I halted and told the men to follow the 
leader in each rank, pistol in hand but not cocked, to 
keep their ears open for orders, and to do just what 
they were told and no more. Privately I told Cuddy I 
would go to the left door, which was on the east side, 
and he would go to the right and meet me. This part 
I did not want the interpreter to know, fearing that 
he would not go with me if he did. Sergeant Peel was 
in the rear of the line behind Cuddy, and Corporal 
Ferguson in rear of the line behind me; they would see 
that my plan was carried out, good or bad. We passed 
the point at a walk, then ^'T^ot!" "Gallop!" "Charge!" 
came in quick succession. 

I sprang from my horse at the door just as it was 
opened by the chief, who ran out at the sound of the 
horses' hoofs. Cuddy dismounted almost at the same 
instant. I seized the chief by the left arm and Cuddy 
by his right, and placed him on a horse behind another 
man, we mounted and were off in less time than it 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 145 

takes to tell it. The chief saw at once that he was a 
prisoner and went willingly. Instantly there was an up- 
roar all over the village, men, women and children howl- 
ing in every style. The bucks rushed out with guns 
and hows and arrows as if to give battle. The chief 
turned on the horse and rode backward, gesticulating 
and talking at the top of his voice. I told the inter- 
preter that if a shot was fired at the dragoons I would 
kill the chief and him too, and impressed upon him the 
importance of repeating this, which he did vigorously 
and continually, and the chief kept up his exhortation 
till we were out of reach. 

We moved off at a walk in extended line a pace 
or two apart, every man with pistol in hand turned in 
his saddle ready to shoot, Ferguson and Peel giving 
strict attention to the men. Just as we reached the 
point of bluff heretofore referred to, a man was seen 
coming as fast las his horse could bring him riding bare- 
back. It was O'Neil, and he had been sent in haste by 
the Major to tell me to return, that three of the horses 
had been brought in and the other two promised. It 
was too late, "and we took the chief to camp. He was 
one of the Major^s prisoners of January, 1851, and they 
shook hands. The chief was much agitated and dis- 
tressed. As I made my report, I felt sorry for him. 

While the troop^s verdict was a justification of the 
action, the more I thought of it the more I did not feel 
at all proud. Only for smarting from the outrage of 
attempting to burn our camp and the wounds from which 



146 FiyE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

we were suffering, we would all have condemned it, and 
I beeame convinced that I had been guilty of an out- 
rage on a man who had been guilty of no wrong, in order 
to recover some horses that had been stolen by some 
thieves of his tribe. And now came the other two 
horses and some head men and sub-chiefs, but none of 
the thieving young bucks. A very earnest talk followed, 
in which the Major recounted the wrongs they had been 
guilty of, including the attempt to burn his camp the 
day before, and promised them if he had to come from 
Fort Leavenworth another cold winter to look after 
them he would "wipe the young bucks off the face of 
the earth." And he exhorted the chiefs and head men 
to control the bad young men in their tribe, if they had 
to kill them. This story has been told ever since the 
occurrence in various forms, often greatly exaggerated. 
The reckless element undoubtedly predominated with 
all of us at that time. Smarting as we were, we were 
unfit to be trusted to deal out justice in such a case. 
Whatever of wrong was committed the blame was all 
mine, and it took me some time to realize the extent 
of the outrage upon a harmless man. In camp and quar- 
ters men delighted to relate the incident, never for a 
moment dreaming that a wrong had been done; but 
fifty-three years later, while few remember it (probably 
I am the only living member of the party), all false 
pride has passed, and I see nothing to be proud of save 
the faithful conduct of those who followed me. While 
painfully smarting under the cowardly and treacherous 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 147 

outrage of the day before, they kept themselves under 
perfect discipline and self-control. I do not believe a 
word was spoken on our side save by myself and 
the interpreter. 

In. Salt Creek Valley, before marching into Fort 
Leavenworth, the Major made quite a little talk to the 
troop, recounting the hardships of the campaign and 
the faithful and creditable service rendered, cautioning 
them to remember that they were men capable of he- 
roic acts and not to brutalize themselves with whiskey, 
but try to keep up the good name they had so well won 
on the plains, at the same time reminding them that no 
amount of service rendered would condone future wrong 
doing; good behavior should be continuous. 

Few incidents worthy of note occurred during the 
winter of 1853 and 1854. The traditional "B'^ T^oop 
ball came off, routine of drills, etc. Not a man was 
tried by court-martial during the eight months we re- 
mained at the post, except by company court. One 
night at "tattoo,'' as I was calling the roll I heard the 
click of a pistol as if being cocked in front of me. It 
was quite dark, but standing close to a man I could rec- 
ognize him. I stopped in the midst of the roll call, 
stepped forward to where I thought I heard the noise, 
reached over to the rear rank, seized a man, jerked him 
out in front of the troop and caught his right hand in 
his pocket holding a cocked pistol, which I took from 
him. All was done so quickly that hardly any one real- 
ized what was going on. Several seized the man, and 
I was obliged to protect him. I sent him to my orderly 



148 FI^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

room with Sergeant Peel, finished the roll call and dis- 
missed the troop after cautioning the men not to allow 
the incident to create any excitement, but all go to bed 
as usual. In the orderly room the man clained that he 
bought the pistol (Derringer) to shoot rats with and had 
no definite object in cocking it at that time. He was 
pretty drunk, or pretended to be — an all around ^bad 
man, who had done an unusual share of extra duty for 
punishment. He had been a good while in the army, 
and had the reputation of having murdered a comrade 
during the Mexican War. I let him go and gave him 
his pistol the next day, at the same time telling him 
that I believed him to be at heart a cowardly murderer. 
I had no doubt but that he intended to shoot me as I 
passed him on the way to my quarters, which I would do 
as soon as I dismissed the troop. He had braced up 
with whiskey for the act and rather overdid it. I could 
not prove that he intended to murder me, and if I sent 
him to the guard house the verdict would have been 
that I was afraid of him. 

I may as well dispose of this man here. He would 
have deserted, but was anxious to go to New Mexico, 
where he had served before, and where the troop and 
regimental headquarters were now under orders to go. 
And from the happening of the incident above related 
he was silent, sullen and on his good behavior, having 
little companionship in the troop. It leaked out that 
in his drunken moods he had said he would desert when 
he got to New Mexico, accompanied with many threats. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 149 

He never again gave me any trouble, but I was keenly 
on the lookout for him always. 

When I left the troop Corporal Ferguson was made 
first sergeant. He joined the year before I did and re- 
enlisted a vear before my time expired. He was a re- 
markable fine man, an Irishman by birth, had been clerk 
at regimental headquarters a good deal and was familiar 
with all company and regimental papers. Up to within 
a year he had never cared to serve as a non-commis- 
sioned officer. He had been made corporal once before, 
but resigned. He was a fine horseman, an excellent shot, 
a superior drill and all-around athlete; a man who would 
attract attention anywhere. Not much given to words,, 
he held a quiet control of all around him without an 
effort. The last time he was made corporal was about 
a year before my discharge, through my influence, and 
I held up to him the fact that Sergeants Cuddy, Cook, 
Drummond and others would not reenlist. Peel would 
not accept first sergeant, and the timber for that place 
in the troop was scarce, and I had no doubt but that he 
would be appointed if he would take interest enough 
to accept it. And he did take interest, and showed so 
plainly his superiority that the appointment came to 
him almost as a matter of course. The troop and its 
commander knew that it was my wish, all became edu- 
cated up to the idea and expected it. And so when I 
was furloughed I left him acting first sergeant. 

One night after "tattoo'^ roll call the man of the 
pistol above referred to plunged a knife into Ferguson^s 
heart, killing him instantly. By great effort the mur- 



150 J^I^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

derer was saved from being mobbed by the troop; was 
tried by civil court and sentenced to hang. I have re- 
frained from mentioning the names of men of whom I 
had to speak in uncomplimentaTy terms, for the reason 
that most men have family relations and friends, and 
to mention them in a way to leave a stain upon their 
character might be unjust and is altogether unnecessary, 
and most men who have come under my observation 
in the army and on campaigns pulled out in fair shape 
and led good lives, many of them raising families after- 
wards. But this murderer had no friends on earth that 
his comrades ever heard of, and sure I am that he had 
no family near or remote to weep over his crimes. His 
name was Jackson, and it is but just to his comrades 
that no mistakes be made in the name. 

Sergeants Cuddy, Cook and Drummond were dis- 
charged towards the last of the year 1853, and new non- 
commissioned officers took their places. All three were 
employed by the quartermaster, and the following spring 
Cook and Cuddy went with Colonel Steptoe^s command, 
the former as wagomnaster and the latter in charge of 
strings of lead horses to Salt Lake the first year (1854), 
wintering there and going through to California the fol- 
lowing season. 

When Walker went on his filibustering expedition 
to Nicaragua, Cook served as a captain in his command, 
escaped when Walker was executed, came back to San 
Francisco and died in poverty. He was a native of Nova 
Scotia, had been a sailor, and I never knew a stauncher, 
braver man. 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 151 

Cuddy was a shrewd man, with money-making ten- 
dencies, dropped into the cattle ranch business in Cal- 
ifornia, married a Spanish woman with large Spanish 
grant, cattle and horses, and the last I heard of him he 
was raising a good family. 

Russell, O'Meara, McDonald, Bostwick and others 
were also discharged and went their various ways — Rus- 
sell to setting type on the Missouri Republican; Bost- 
wick, the farrier, married a wife and farm in Clinton 
County, Missouri, and was killed at Vicksburg in 1862, 
while a major in the Confederate army. O'Meara de- 
clared he had money enough to take him back to the 
"Old Dart," and he was going there. I will have occa- 
sion to mention McDonald later. 

Recruits came from Carlisle before the close of nav- 
igation on the Missouri. 

The Major applied for and was given authority to 
purchase twenty-five horses for his troop, subject to 
his own inspection, and made an arrangement with a 
Mr. Calvert, of Weston, to furnish them. Two or three 
times at evening stables the Major pointed out to Mr. 
Calvert the kind of horses he wanted, the models that 
suited him best, all to be sorrels of solid color — chest- 
nut or red sorrels would do, but no light colored ones, 
no white noses — white feet not absolutely barred, but 
unless exceptionally sound would be rejected. Sound 
feet, flat, sinewy legs, sound hocks and knees, arms and 
quarters well muscled, short, sinewy back, high withers, 
rangy neck, bony head, bold eye — no ^liog eyes'' — fine 
ear, deep chest, plenty of room to carry his forage, five 



152 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

to seven years old, fifteen to sixteen hands, preferably 
fifteen and a half, all natural trotters and well broken 
to saddle — about filled the Major's idea, reserving the 
right to reject any of them for any reason satisfactory 
to himself. The quartermaster paid for the horses on 
the Major's order. They came in fine shape, were put 
in our stables, and thoroughly tried before being re- 
ceived. They were a fine lot and the deal satisfactory 
all around. The old and least serviceable of the troop 
horses were turned over to the quartermaster to make 
room for the new ones, and mine was one of them. I 
saw him sold at auction to a Missouri farmer for $50.00 
and requested him to see that the horse was well cared 
for, which he promised to do, told me where he lived, 
and invited me to see him, which I did two years later, 
dined with him and told him and his wife the horse^a 
history. His wife was riding him in her visits about the 
neighborhood, and she declared that he should never do 
any other kind of work. In those days everybody rode 
horseback. A few wealthy people had old-fashioned^ 
roomy carriages for use on special occasions, but every 
man and woman, boy and girl, generally rode horseback. 
I had the choice of the new lot of horses, and chose 
a deep chestnut, without a white spot, sixteen hands, fine 
from ear to hoof, a little nervous, but had not been 
spoiled, and soon became a great pet. And now came 
the task of adjusting this fine lot of horses so as to make 
the best use of them. It was an ironclad rule that ev- 
ery man must be gentle with his horse. Abusing a horse 
was the unpardonable sin. Peevishness, kicking, jerk- 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 15^ 

ing, swearing at, unnecessary spurring or violence of 
any kind would not be permitted to go unpunislied, and 
non-commissioned officers were sure to report any in- 
fraction of the rule. Everything must be done for the 
comfort of the horse. The non-commissioned officers 
who wanted to change old horses for new did so, and 
then came the privates with the least serviceable horses^ 
If, after assignment, a horse was found unsuited to the 
man or the man to the horse a change was made, wheth- 
er the man liked it or not, be he non-commissioned offi- 
cer or private, and from first to last, whatever would 
add to the efficiency of the troop was done, whether in. 
drilling horses or men. Within five miles of the flag- 
staff west of the river there was not a nook or corner 
that we did not drill over, giving strict attention to the 
skirmish drill. 

I have heretofore not mentioned the manner of 
feeding our horses; they were always watered before 
feeding. Prairie hay was used — there was no other in. 
the country at that time — and there was no letter ''rough- 
ness" for horses. Ear corn was the kind of grain always 
used in garrison. One can easily see whether corn on. 
the cob is sound or unsound. Shelled corn might be- 
musty or some bad corn mixed with it and none but 
an expert could tell, while any man would know a sound 
ear of corn; and more than that, horses do not eat ear 
corn so fast ; they like to bite it from the cob — masticate, 
relish and digest it better. Of course on the plains one 
must use shelled corn, but in garrison, in a corn growing 
country, there is no feed equal to ear corn and prairie^ 



154 ^'I^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

hay. I know that now there is a great habit of feeding 
oats to cavalry horsed; farmers, teamsters and livery men 
did that in the Northern States when I was a boy; it was 
the best feed they had and oats were nearly always well 
cured and free from must and dust, and they did not 
raise corn as they do in the West. Here oats do not do 
as well as in New England or Canada, are not so easily 
cured, and are often both musty and dusty, and as a 
rule chaffy and light, with little nutriment compared to 
Northern oats. Corn is the cleanest and best feed; there 
is nothing equal to it for strengthening or fattening man 
or beast. Barley and wheat are good feed where corn is 
not raised, but where it grows in abundance there is noth- 
ing equal to corn; for man, for horses and mules, for cat- 
tle, for hogs, for fowls, it is the king of products to make 
muscle and fat. The Southern planters fed corn and 
bacon to the negroes because it made them strong and 
healthy; they fed corn to their plantation mules for the 
same reason. At the salt mines in the Island of Bonair 
the strongest negro men and women I ever saw were al- 
lowed a bushel of corn a month and no other food except 
some fish that they could catch occasionally. They could 
parch the corn, grind it between two rocks, or eat it with- 
out cooking — no mills to grind it with; ^twas corn that 
made them big and strong. Probably this has nothing 
to do with cavalry horses, but all the same I have never 
seen better or more enduring ones than were in "B'^ 
Troop, and prairie liay, corn and good care mad'C them 
what they were. The nutriment in prairie hay does not 
equal that in timothy, clover or alfalfa when well cured. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. I55 

but it is much easier cured; the nutriment is in sound 
ear corn. 

As heretofore stated, the man who was the instigator 
of the fire in Cuddy's orderly room deserted, and with 
his wife stayed about Weston. His occupation was "re- 
cruiting d'eserters" ; that is, he would find men with mon- 
ey after pay day, persuade them to desert if he could, 
and often robbed them. One Sunday I tried to capture 
him but he escaped on horseback while I was hunting 
him. I found the shanty where he lived with an ill-as- 
sorted set of vagabonds in a little corn-field, and repre- 
sented to Major Chilton that a dozen men could surround 
it and effect his arest. The next Sunday Lieutenant 
Hastings and a dozen men, including Sergeant Peel, went 
over to Weston, surrounded the house, half the men dis- 
mounting and hunting through corn shocks. Out of a 
shock ran the man into the house, with Peel after him. 
Peel searched thoroughly in vain. A man and half a 
dozen women, including the deserter's wife, were sitting 
at a table apparently in the act of commencing to eat 
dinner. 'Twas when big hoop skirts were worn, and be- 
ing a small man Peel felt sure that he was under his 
wife's skirts and a blanket thrown round her lap and feet, 
told her so, and declared that he would have him if he 
had to go under her skirts. At this juncture Lieutenant 
Hastings rode up and called Peel out, told him he had 
no right to enter and hunt through a man's house with- 
out a search warrant, which he did not have, and now 
that he had laid himself liable to arrest they must mount 
and get across the river, which they did. It was under- 



156 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

stood that an indictment was found against Peel, and af- 
ter that he kept away from Weston. A month later the 
man gave himself up, a consumptive wreck, and died soon 
after. He confessed that he was under his wife's skirts 
when Peel was after him. 

In March, 1854, I was made a Mason in the Weston 
lodge and took the first three degrees. I have seen some- 
thing of masonic lodges since that time, but have never 
seen a finer set of men or brighter Masons than that 
lodge contained. ^^Old Jimmy'' Miller was the secretary 
and "father" of the lodge, and Perry Wallingford con- 
ferred the degrees in a manner that the "novice" could 
never forget. One night every week, when it was con- 
venient for me to be absent, I spent in Weston and at- 
tended the lodge. I asked the captain's permission to 
ride over to Weston in the evening and back in the morn- 
ing, and it was cheerfully given. 

And now the time was approaching for the annual 
campaign. Headquarters, staff and band and "B" and 
"D" Troops were ordered to New Mexico and would leave 
about the first of July. Brydon reenli&ted and was trans- 
ferred to the band. He was getting old, and settled 
down to the fact that the best way to provide for old age 
was to go to the Soldiers' Home in Washington. The 
Grovernment had just commenced to collect 12^/^ cents 
per month from each soldier for its support. While re- 
gretting to part with him I encouraged him to take the 
step, for, old and out of the army, he would 'be helpless. 
He was the only man who had shared my tent for the 



FIVE TEARS A DRAQOON. 



157 



last two years, except on a few emergencies, and had 
iDcen my constant friend since we joined the troop. 

Towards the last of May "D" Troop, Captain John 
Adams, came from Fort Snelling by steamboat and camp- 
ed on the "bine grass," a little southwest of where is now 
<^Merritt" Lake, and the month of Jnne was a busy one 
ior every one preparing for a move that admitted of no 
return for probably some years. 







PART IV. 

ON THE second day of July, 1854, headquarters 
First Dragoons, ''B" and "D" Troops, with a large 
number of army officers, somle families, a large supply 
train and 600 extra horses led on strings of about forty 
horses each, left Fort Leavenworth for Fort Union, New 
Mexico, Colonel Thomas T. Fauntleroy commanding. 

From start to finish, the two troops alternated daily 
in front and rear guard. During my experience I had 
never campaigned with another troop, hence did not 
know very much about the management of other troops 
on the plains and I learned to think "B^^ nearly as per- 
fect as the conditions permitted. I was as proud of it as 
I ever have been of anything under my immediate charge. 
On every hand the troop attracted attention — the manner 
of marching, care taken of their horses, appearance of 
horses and men, the short time necessary to put up their 
tents, and the lightning speed with which they were 
struck, folded and loaded in the wagons, the neatness 
and dispatch in everything, and the quietness and lack 
of confusion on every hand, seemed a wonder to many of 
the officers of long experience. There was no special 
effort on this trip more than on others, but somehow we 
were settled down to one way of doing — a uniformity of 
thought and action — changes were few and only when 
circumstances forced them. Officers and non-commis- 

^5S 



FIVE Y^ARS A DRAGOON. 159 

sioned officers did not have to reiterate from day to day 
and from camp to camp, for no man could plead ignor- 
ance of a general routine, hence there was little friction; 
the men had grown into the habit of taking pride in do- 
ing everything, having "some style about them," as Mc- 
Donald used to say, and every man had grown to know 
that he must do his share cheerfully, all working togeth- 
er fov,Hhe general good. 

"D'' Troop was composed of a fine lot of men and 
drilled well, but they had been stationed for some years 
at Fort Snelling, and did not have the long summer cam- 
paigns that B had, and for that reason were not up to 
the daily routine of making themselves comfortable. 
Most of the men were comparatively new to campaigning, 
and while fine garrison soldiers, had much to learn and 
to suffer before they could hope to compete with men 
who had traveled from 1,500 to 3,000 miles every sum- 
mer, always in an Indian country, always on the alert and 
obliged to move with little transportation, little or no 
forage save the grass that grew in abundance everywhere, 
and with short rations, depending largely on game which 
was also generally abundant. Of course, more or less 
recruits were received every winter (generally fore part 
of winter) from Carlisle Barracks to replace those dis- 
charged, etc. These recruits had special attention in 
drill, and imagined they were full fledged soldiers by 
the time we went on the plains, but soon found that half 
was not learned. 

A good deal can be done to discipline men in garri- 
son; but in the field, on the march, in bivouac under the 
11— 



FIYE YEARS A DRAGOON. 161 

blue sky, in storms, cold and heat, on the trail, caring 
for self and horses, with always a helping hand for com- 
rades, bearing cheerfully every hardship, — there was 
where the thorough dragoon was made, and a man in his 
first year's service was not worth half as much as in after 
years. This applies to a troop where three-fourths of 
the men were "old soldiers," which includes all men after 
the first year. This being true, how about a troop or 
company where there is not more than half a dozen who 
have seen service before ? Take the experience of any 
man who has served in the regulars and volunteers. See 
the amount of sickness in the latter compared to the 
former; see the difi^erence between strict discipline and 
the reverse; see the comfort of one against the suffering 
of the other under trying circumstances; see the differ- 
ence between men who accept their instructions as iron- 
clad law, never doubting the correctness thereof, and 
men who argue the point in their minds, if not aloud, 
the instructor himself in doubt, lacking confidence in 
himself and the men he addresses — "the blind leading 
the blind." To hear the rabble, and politicians in par- 
ticular, talk of how "our brave volunteers" performed 
such and such feats in battle, one would think the regu- 
lar army did not amount to anything, and were only a 
stumbling block in the way of the "gallant men" of this 
or that State. Who ever doubted the courage of any re- 
spectable American — the peer of any man on earth? 
Surely, not I. But how can a man know anything un- 
til he has learned it? Is there any sense in marching 
young men, after a few months of camp life, into battle 



162 ^^^'^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

against disciplined troops? It won't do to tell us they 
are bravo. AVho doiihtod that? The fact that he is 
brave does not make his adversary less brave nor his aim 
less accurate. To stand up and receive the death blow 
because too ignorant to avoid it, may be admirable, but 
it is pitiable, and no credit to the nation that places men 
in such a position. ISTo country on earth has superior 
material for soldiers, but it is no credit to the United 
States to expect this material to be transformed from 
peaceful pursuits to military experts in a few months to 
meet the stern necessities of battle. 

Some one may point to the performance of the First 
Volunteer Cavalry ("Eough Eiders'^) at Santiago to prove 
that the very best work was done by that regiment. Such 
comparison is no criterion. Nine-tenths of them were 
men who had lived for years in the field, in the moun- 
tains, on the plains, accustomed for years to Indian war- 
fare; the best shots and the best horsemen in the world; 
accustomed to follow the trail and protect themselves 
and their property everywhere. Turned loose anywhere, 
singly or in squads, they were self-supporting. Even 
that portion of the regiment which came from the col- 
leges and society circles of New York were remarkable 
for athletic accomplishments of all kinds, including tar- 
get practice. Probably there is not on record an organi- 
zation of similar numbers where each individual was so 
nearly self-made and self-reliant as this. The Colonel 
had -distinguished himself as an Indian follower and 
fighter in the regular army in Arizona and Mexico as 
few men ever did;, and the Lieutenant Colonel from boy- 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 163 

hood up had trained himself in every line of athletics; 
had ranched with the cowboys of Dakota, AVyoming and 
Montana, and was the champion hunter of big game in 
the United States. In his experience in public life he 
had learned human nature in every grade, and above all, 
at the age of most complete manhood — not too old for 
strength and energy nor too young for mature judgment 
— had learned self-control and the management of men. 
With their superb courage and patriotism, no wonder 
Colonel Wood and Lieutenant Colonel Eoosevelt led 
that magnificent band of men, , equal to those who died 
with Crockett at the Alamo, to glorious victory. It will 
not do to compare this regiment with average volunteers. 
Every man was a soldier, tried in a school than which 
there is no better in America. But the officers and men 
of this regiment will ever stand in respectful acknowl- 
edgment of the grand old regulars, who were shoulder 
to shoulder with them, and without which there would 
have been few of the "Eough Eiders" left to tell the tale. 
Dogged, stubborn discipline came in time to mingh^ 
with desperate gallantry at the crucial moment. Young 
America, I honor your courage and manhood, but keep 
your eye on the regulars, and when you want to be a 
soldier enlist in a good company, in a good regiment, and 
go to a home where order and decency prevail, and every 
well behaved man finds peace and comfort. 

Of course there was the usual confusion of starting 
a big caravan on a long journey, but things improved 
from day to day. Our troop had easy times compared 
to other organizations. After passing Council Grove, 



164 ^I^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

guards were doubled, as they always were on the route 
west, always expecting depredations of some kind from 
the Indians if the utmost vigilance was not maintained. 
On Coon Oreek, now in Edwards County, we met 
Kiowa Indians in great numbers, mounted on fine horses. 
They cavorted about us, saucy, insolent and defiant, in 
fact it looked like trouble was inevitable. "B" was ad- 
vance guard, and as we were strung out on the road, "D'' 
was more than two miles in rear. Our horses on strings 
were a great temptation to the Indians, and they could 
have charged in and stampeded the whole lot with little 
loss to themselves. Colonel Fauntleroy was riding with 
Major Chilton and other officers ahead of me, as I rode 
at the head of the troop', and I heard the conversation. 
I saw that the Colonel and the Major were disagreeing, 
and finally the Major lost his temper and said with some 
spirit, "Well, if I were in command I would corral these 
trains and horses and wipe these Kiowas off the face of 
the earth; this is no way to deal with Indians.'^ In 
answer the Colonel ordered the Major in arrest and to 
the rear. The Mejor turned, his eyes flashing, his brist- 
ling mustache looking unusually fierce, and rode to the 
rear. He had taken his last ride in front of his troop. 
Lieutenant Hastings was detached from the troop, acting 
commissary officer, hence, when the Major was arriested 
there was no officer left in command of it. The Major 
h^ad been consulted all along about oamps, and had 
been of great service. Immediately after his arrest, the 
Colonel called me and said he wanted to go into camp. 
It was about 11 o'clock. I told him he could not find a 




Famous Kaw Chiefs. „, , . , 

All Ur. Wah-ti-an-gah. 

Al-le-ga-wa-bo. nu-^t » 

Kah-he-ga-warti-an-gah, known as the i^ ool OHiet. 



166 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

better camp than about where he was, where the town of 
Kinsley now is, and at his order I rode off to assist the 
quartermaster, Captain Mastin, to arrange the camp. To 
the troop I gave the order, "Dismount! Graze your 
horses!" The Colonel looked surprised, but said nothing. 
T was carrying out a standing rule to rest and graze the 
horses at every opportunit3\ I was an hour with the 
quartermaster, during which time the troop were enjoy- 
ing the finest grass on the plains. 

This camp was made more compact than any we had 
heretofore, and the guard considerably strengthened. It 
was but a few miles from the old battle ground. 

I reported to the Major after retreat and guard 
mount for any suggestions he might desire to make. 
Evidently he felt chagrined at the position he was placed 
in, and anxious that whatever happened his troop should 
not be found wanting. While we were talking. Lieuten- 
ant Robert Williams called and stated to the Major that 
he had been detailed to take command of his troop. He 
had called to pay his respects and to learn from the Major 
anything he desired to impart concerning it. The Major 
thanked him and said about as follows: "This is Ser- 
geant Lowe, Lieutenant Williams. He has been first 
sergeant more than two years, knows all about the troop, 
and will certainly serve under you as faithfully and cheer- 
fully as he has under me. I congratulate you on being 
de'tailed to command my troop. You will not be likely 
to have any trouble with it." Lieutenant Williams com- 
manded the troop two da^'s, when Lieutenant Hastings 
took command. Lieutenant Williams was one of the best 



FIYE YEARS A DRAGOON. 167 

specimens of manhood I ever met. Nothing ruffled the 
even tenor of his ways; he always spoke in the same 
gentle tone, the same perfect English, in the same refined 
manner. I conceived -a friendship for him that a more 
intimate acquaintance in future years increased to ad- 
miration. He was one of the most refined and noble 
character I ever knew. His military service ended 
with his retirement as Adjutant-General of the Army 
in ISO? on -.^ccount of age. 

On leaving the Coon Creek camp we moved out in 
double columji, troops traveling by fours, wagons and 
horse strings two abreast. The re^ar guard furnished a 
line of vedettes along the bluffs, aud orders were strict 
to keep everything closed up. A few days later we crossed 
the Arkansas at Cimarron Crossing, thirty miles above 
where now stands Dodge City, and camped on the south 
bank. We seemed to have left the Indian-s all behind, 
twenty miles below, and the talk that the Colonel had 
with them the evening before indicated no trouble. 

The camp was west of the road, extending up the 
river fully a mile. "D" Troop was at the upper end 
(west); "B" was rear guard that day and camped just 
west of the road, forming the left flank of the camp, 
the wagon train, except headquarters, company and offi- 
cers' transportation, M^as well to the front (south), away 
from the river, and the horse strings immediately in 
rear, while headquarters, officers' families, etc., were 
strung along the bank of the river between the two troops. 
A bend in the river whcte "B" Troop was, threw it north 
of the east and west line of the other camps. The 



168 J^IVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

ground occupied by the supply train, the horse strings 
and "D" Troop was sandy and treacherous. Picket pins 
went down easily and were easily withdrawn. Our camp 
occupied firmer ground^, and with care we made our 
horses perfectly safe, knowing well the terrors of the 
stampede, taking in the treacherous nature of the ground 
occupied by all except us, and the fearful effects of hun- 
dreds of animals with lariats and flying picket pins 
sweeping over our camp. We hugged the bank of the 
river below the bend closely, occupying as little room 
with tents and the two company wagons as possible, and 
arranging horses so that a direct stampede east would 
pass them. In other words, a stampede would have to 
come around tlie bend to strike any part of our camp. 
It was noticed by all of our troop that the 600 led 
horses were always badly picketed; that is, picket pins 
driven half way down and in many cases two or three 
lariats tied to one pin. A stampede had been feared 
by all of us. The man in charge of the horse strings 
was very ill most of the time, and each man in charge 
of a string of horses seemed to have no conception of 
the crash that was sure to come sooner or later. ^^D" 
Troop did little better than the horse strings and "B" 
was spurred up by me and other non-commissioned offi- 
cers to see that every picket pin was securely driven 
in the best s^round. I have seen men stick their picket 
pins in an ant hill because it went down easily. Such 
a thing in our troop, or the fact that a horse got loose 
in any way, unless proven to be no fault of the rider, 
would insure his walking and carrying his arms the 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 169 

next day. Carelessness in picketing horses would not 
be condoned on this or any other trip that we ever 
made. A stampede was the terror of terrors on the 
plains, and this location was like camping on a volcano 
liable to erupt at any moment. 

It was a perfectly bright, starlit night, and peace 
seemed to reign from end to end of the camp. Visit- 
ing was general among the officers, and a feeling of 
safety prevailed, now that we seemed to be clear of 
trouble with Indians. A little before nine o'clock the 
earth seemed to tremble as if in the violent throes of 
an earthquake. Like a whirlwind a stampede commenced 
with "D" Troop horses, rushing down through the ex- 
tra or "led" horses and on thtough the mules, sweeping 
everything before it, barely missing officers and B Troop 
camp. On they went a little south of east down the 
river, in the mad rush trampling everything under foot, 
upsetting and breaking a dozen six-mule wagons by 
catching picket pins in the wheels as the moving mass 
rushed on; picket pins whizzing in the air struck an ob- 
ject and bounded forward like flying lances. To con- 
dense: "D'' Troop lost two-thirds of their horses. All 
the string horses (600) and 600 mules, besides some 
private animals, were in the mad rush of destruction. 
One "B" Troop horse, an extra, succeeded in joining 
the gang. Realizing the full meaning of the terrible 
calamity, I ordered "boots and saddles,'' and when Lieu- 
tenant Hastings, who was visiting some officers, arrived, 
the troop was ready to mount. The quartermaster ser- 
geant was left in charge of the camp with a cook an;I 



170 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



bugler. Lieutenant Hastings rode over to headquarters 
and reported. Eeturning immediate!}^, we mounted, and 
were off in the direction of the stampede. A few young 
efficers en route to join their troop in New Mexico, and 
who were fortunate enough to have their horses down 
near the river out of the line of the stampede, mounted 
and struck out. 




"Pioneer Store" on the Trail. 



The stampede was a mystery at headquarters, one 
opinion being tliat it was caused by Indians, another 
that wolves had frightened some horses and they had 
started all the others. There was more experience in 
"B" Troop than in the balance of the command, and 
the conclusion was that it would be no trouble to bring 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 171 

about a stampede from either cause. One Indian in a 
wolf skin might have done it, or one horse frightened 
at anything running the length of his lariat and scar- 
ing a few more might bring about the whole thing. We 
'did not believe that any number of Indians were near 
us, or were making any hostile demonstrations. In 
short, the treacherous character of the ground made it 
unfit to picket a large number of horses and mules, and 
the stampede was almost a matter of course. We might 
have escaped such a calamity as inexperienced cam- 
paigners sometimes do, but the chances, considering the 
number of animals and want of care were against us. 

It was nine o'clock when the troop started on the 
trail, feeling its way out through the wilderness of 
wrecked wagons, crippled and dead horses and mules 
and their lariats and picket pins, met with in the first 
two miles, within which nearly a hundred horses and 
mules were found dead or injured by being pierced with 
flying picket pins or by being tangled in the ropes and 
dragged. We did not stop for any of these, but rode on 
to head off those animals that had escaped in a condi- 
tion to travel. Within five miles of camp we headed off 
probably 200 mules. Most of them had broken their 
lariats and lost their picket pins by being trampled up- 
on by other animals. We rounded them up and sent 
half a dozen men with them, following the river bank 
towards camp. Then we spread out and in a mile or 
two, rounded up another large band nearly all mules, 
and sent another squad of men with them. It was my 
experience then, and always has been in a stampede, 



^72 FI^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

that mules tone down after a short run, whereas fright- 
ened horses never know when to stop, and run until ex- 
hausted. A herd of mules without horses to lead them 
in a stampede will hardly ever run more than two miles, 
circle around a little and then either stop to graze or 
strike a trail at a moderate gait. Within twelve or fif- 
teen miles of camp we had turned back with different 
squads of men probably 400 mules and half as many 
horses; and now Lieutenant Hastings and three or four 
men started back with quite a band, mostly horses, leav- 
ing with me about twenty-five men. Following the same 
tactics and having driven in whatever we could find with- 
in a few miles, a small squad of men was started up the 
river towards camp. A couple of young officers. Lieu- 
tenants Lloyd Beall and Craig, joined me with 

quite a band of horses about daylight. 

At that time I was with a few men in the sand hills, 
probably a mile from the river. We swung around driv- 
ing about sixty horses before us towards the river, and 
suddenly found ourselves close to an Indian camp, a 
little below it. There was no changing our course so as 
to avoid the village altogether without abandoning our 
captured animals. I put spurs to my horse to get be- 
tween the horses and the Indian camp, followed closely 
by Hand and the two officers. The horses did not seem 
to notice the lodges until close on to them, and we 
rushed through the south edge of the village at a fast 
gallop. In the meantime the dogs set up a terrible 
barking, and as we looked back the whole camp seemed 
to be alive, as men, women and children hustled out o| 




m. _. 



174 F'lVE YEARS A DRAGOOX 

their lodges. Attracted by a large number of Indian 
horseS;, two of onrs started to ioin them. Craig mad3 
a break to lietul tliem off, and ])istol in hand chased them 
through the Indian herd. Beall joined Craig and with 
the two horses joined m}^ party in little more time than 
is necessary to tell it. And now the sun was coming up; 
we had ridden our horses at all sorts of gaits seven 
hours. In the band we were driving were several good 
ones. We rounded them up in a bend of the river and 
made a change and helped Beall and Craig to change. 
Knowing that the Indians would be soon scouring the 
country for horses^ and with my small party of men I 
could accomplish nothing, I determined to scatter out 
200 or 300 yards apart and drive all we could find to 
camp. I knew that the camp we had passed was com- 
posed of Kiowas and Comanches, about thirty miles be- 
low our camp. When about twenty-five miles below our 
camp^ I saw horses on the opposite side of the river. 
They must be a part of ours that had crossed over; they 
were loose and grazing. Through my glass I could count 
about a dozen. Leaving the balance of the party to go 
on, driving everything they could before them, I took 
three men and crossed the river. Below the horses first 
seen there were no signs of any having passed down. 
We drove before us all that we saw and probably all on 
that side and arrived in camp near sunset with thirty- 
two. At retreat roU call every man of "B'^ Troop an- 
swered to his name. Among the big bands brought in 
by Lieutenant Hastings and others the dismounted por- 
tion of "D" Troop found mounts, and with citizen em- 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 175 

ployees did good service in gathering in and caring for 
horses and mules. 

To the fact that "B" Ttoop was able to mount 
promptly, and work systematically and vigorously, Col- 
onel Fauntleroy owed his ability to move without aban- 
doning many wagons, only those badly wrecked. If 
pursuit had been delayed until morning the Indians 
would have had most of the horses. It did not take 
them long to scour the country and pick up what we 
left. They brought a good many to the camp, foo* which 
the Colonel paid them. Two days after the stampede 
we recrossed the river and found a fine safe camp on 
the north side. 

Nearly all mules not killed or fatally cripnled were 
saved, so that we were short only about fifty. About 
150 horses were dead or desperately crippled, and many 
more not accounted for, probably found by Indians after 
we left; shortage, 200 or more. 

Lieutenant Beall had been in arrest ever since we 
left Fort Leavenworth, and now he Avas released. He 
volunteered to go in pursuit of the stam-neded stock, 
and on Craig's report he was restored to clutv. This I 
understood at the time. Eight ^^ears later Captain Craig 
told me at Fort Union, N. M., where he was then quar- 
termiaster, that on the way to camp after I left to cross 

the river, Beall said: "Why the didn't I think to 

lead off after those two horses? Here I am a first lieu- 
tenant and you just from the Academy; I am under a 
cloud and ought to have done something to recommend 
myself.'^ "You did/' said Craig, "you followed those 

12— 



176 ^I^E TEARS A DRAGOON. 

horses through the Indian herd, pistol in hand (which 
was true, following the example of Craig), and I shall 
so report." And that report induced Colonel Fauntle- 
roy to release Beall. 

The history of these two men is interestinar. Beall 
was a captain of artillery at the commencement of the 
Civil War, resigned and enlisted in the Confederate Army. 
Dr. M. S. Thomas resided in Leavenworth previous to 
the war, joined the Army of Northern Virginia as a 
surgeon, and after the battle following the capture of 
General Pope's headauarters, while riding over the hat- 
tleiield near a Confederate battery he recognized a dog 
that used to belong to Beall at Fort Leavenworth. He 
knew that the dog was not far from his master, and pro- 
ceeded to investigate. He soon found Sergeant Beall. 
A long conversation followed, in which Beall stated that 
many times he had been recommended for promotion, 
but on account of his reputation for drinkinp- his en- 
dorsements were overruled before they reached the ap- 
pointing power. I do not know his end. Colonel Craig 
married a wealthy lady in Ohio, resigned from the army 
at the close of the war, prosecuted a claim to a large 
Spanish grant of land in southern Colorado, won it, and 
was independentlv rich, and died before he was fiftv. ^ 

Colonel Fauntleroy sent for me and said some very 
nice things to me and of the troop, but there was nc 
mention of the happenings in "orders/^ I take it foi 
granted that Colonel Fauntlerov included the stampede 
in his report to the War Department, and that the 
quartermaster, Captain Mastin, reported the loss of pnb- 



FIYE TEARS A DRAGOON. 177 

lie animals and other property, "but no mention of it in 
newspapers;, nor in *^^orders" anywhere. Men were sup- 
posed to do their duty without hope of special com- 
mendation. A troop that would do now what ^'W did 
then would be commended by the colonel, by the depart- 
ment commander, by the division commander and by the 
general of the army in his annual report. 

After recrossing the river I called on Major Chilton 
as soon as I could. I never saw him better pleased with 
the troop. '^B Troop saved the command," said he. 
"Mr. Hastings tells me that vou had ^oots and saddles' 
sounded and the troop ready to mount when he reached 
it after the stampede. I am glad you were so prompt 
and did not wait." 

And now we moved off up the north side of the 
Arkansas by easy marches for several days, on up the 
river to Bent's Old Fort, and crossed; thence south to 
Timpas, Water Holes, Hole in the Rock, Hole in the 
Prairie, crossing Purgetwa — generally pronounced Pick- 
etware — below where Trinidad now is. 

It was nearlv 100 miles farther by this than by the 
Cimarron route to Santa Fe, hence it had been aban- 
doned; had not been traveled since the Cimarron came 
into general use. Trees had fallen across the trail, 
mountain torrents had made great gulleys, and it took 
Lieutenant Craig's pioneer party — details from "B" and 
"D" Troops — several days to make the road passable. 
Ir. the meantime our animals had the finest gramma 
grass I ever saw, and I never saw animals improve so 
much as ours did in so short a time. 



178 FI^E TEARS A DRAGOON. 

One day while camped here Sergeant Peel went 
hunting; he was riding a mule, and when a mile or two 
from camp a thunder storm overtook him, and he sought 
shelter under a thick clump of pines. A flock of turkeys 
ran under a big, low branched pine, not more than ten 
yards from him. The rain and hail came down in tor- 
rents while the wind blew a fearful gale. Peel had tied 
his gentle mule securely, and deliberately shot seven- 
teen turkeys, every one in the head. They seemied to 
think the crack of his rifle a peal of thunder, and the 
fluttering of the dying turkeys did not frighten them. 
He finally wounded one and it flew away, the balance of 
the flock — half a dozen — following. Peel came into camn 
about dark with all that his mule could stagger under. 

Just before this storm I had marched my detail for 
guard to headquarters, and guard mounting was just 
over when the storm struck us. I put spurs to my horse 
and rode with all speed for camp. I had crossed a dry 
ravine going, and returning found a mountain torrent. 
I very imprudently dashed through it, looked back and 
saw a tree a foot through o-oing down at railroad speed. 
A second later and I and my horse were hopelessly lost. 
As it was, nine horses out of ten would have failed, but 
my noble "Bruce,'' with courage that knew no faltering, 
having full confidence in his master, landed me safely 
and bounded away as if there was nothing the matter. 
This horse was my special pet; every soldier^s horse 
ought to be. It may be a little hard for a good soldier 
of fine feelings to pet a miserable plug, and on the other 
hand, it may be a little hard for a good horse to think 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. I79 

much of his plug master — both combinations that ought 
not to exist. Grood men and horses having faith in each 
other will follow the right kind of leader to victory or 
annihilation without a murmur. The horse need not 
be of any particular strain of blood so that he is of a 
saddle horse breed, made to gladden the heart of the 
proud man who rides him; not a thick shouldered, fat 
headed, short stepping thing, only fit for a huckster, but 
a horse with flat, muscular legs, short back, well quar- 
tered, well cupped sound hoofs, high crest, lean head, 
bright eyes and brainy. With this latter combination, 
he may be Spanish broncho, Arabian, Kentucky thor- 
oughbred, or mixed — never ask a man to ride a plug 
off the farm where he is used to plow. One of the 
greatest mistakes this Government is making is in not 
using a part of the Fort Leavenworth and Fort Eiley 
military reservations to breed a sample of saddle horse, 
if for no other reason than to show the farmers of tho 
surrounding country the kind of horse the Government 
requires for cavalry and artillery. 

Having gotten the road open and the animals wed 
rested, we moved over the Ratton Pass and camped at 
a pond at the foot of the mountains. We were rear 
guard this day and had a tedious time; some wagons 
wrecked, and we came into camn late. The next morn- 
ing w^e were in advance at sunrise. Approaching Eed 
River, a big flock of turkeys were plainly to be seen on 
the trees; they had never been frightened and knew no 
fear. I asked permission of Lieutenant Hastings to 



180 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



ride ahead and kill one of them, which I did, shooting 
a big fellow from the tree with my pistol. 

The first settlement that we struck in New Mexico 
was Maxwell's Eanch, on the Cimarron; the next was 
Riado, where I Troop was stationed. We here heard 




"Council Oak. 



Under this Oak, at Council Grove, treaty was made 

with ihe Great and Little Osages for right of 

way of Santa Fe Trail, Aug. 10, 1825. 

Estimated age of tree, 250 years. 

the first account of the battle fought six weeks before 
between I Ttoop and the Apaches, heretofore referred 
to. I met my old friend Byrnes, whom I had not seen 



f^" FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. Igl 

since we parted at Fort Leavenworth the 1st of April, 
1850. Now he was first sergeant as heretofore related. 
Headquarters, band and ^'D" Troop stopped here, while 
"B'^ went on. 

Arrived at Fort Union, we went into camp by our- 
selves about two miles from the post. And now the 
troop was under orders to proceed to Fort Stanton in 
a few weeks. Major Chilton found his commission as 
major and paymaster, was ordered to report at Wash- 
ington, and was released from arrest. As my time would 
be out in less than two months I was promised a fur- 
lough before the troop would go. Colonel Cook would 
leave Fort Union for Fort Leavenworth in two weeks 
with a miscellaneous command, and this was my oppor- 
tunity to go to the "States.-'^ 

Pitching two wall tents facing each other and 
stretching a fly to cover the space between, I had a good 
orderly room and office, and with Corporal Ferguson for 
a clerk, assisted by Lieutenant Hastings, we proceeded 
to straighten up all company accounts, and bring every- 
thing up to date before my denarture. Nothing in the 
way of clerical work was left undone on Major Chilton's 
account as well as Hastings'. I had never had a com- 
pany clerk and no assistance except what Lieutenant 
Hastings was always glad to render, and assistance from 
Ferguson or some other in comparing muster rolls. The 
records will show that when I left the clerical work was 
complete and there would be no unsettled matters be- 
tween the troop commander and any of the departments, 



182 ^lyE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

and there would be no dispute or confusion about any 
man^s account. 

I bought a mule, and Hastings gave me a saddle, 
bridle and blanket. I got permission to put my provis- 
ions, blankets, clothing, etc., into a Government wagon 
in which I might sleep at night. Transportation was 
scarce and teams heavily loaded. A man on furlough 
had no .status and no rights. The wagonmaster, Mr. 
Eice, very kindly invited me to mess with him, which 
I was very glad to do. The dav of my departure came, 
my last roll call was made at reveille, and I passed from 
right to left of the troop and shook hands with every 
man. I was obliged to nerve myself to the utmost to 
m^eet this trial, one of the greatest of my life. My work 
was done, I had trrned my back upon my best friends. 
I would never make better. I never saw any one else 
similarly affected. I had met and stood as severe shocks 
as any man of my age that I had ever known, and in- 
wardly prided myself upon being equal to any emer- 
gency, but now I seemed bewildered. I went to my 
tent and pretty soon Hastings came in and said : " ^Tis 
not too late to reenlist; perhaps you had best recon- 
sider your determination to leave the troop.^^ This 
seemed to bring me to my senses. I straightened up 
and replied: "Lieutenant Hastings, I appreciate all you 
say and lall oi the good will that you have ever sliown 
for me, but I have matured my plans for the future. I 
am tearing myself away from the best friends I ever 
had and am doing it as a matter of duty to myself. 
There is nothing in the army for me from my stand- 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 183 

point. I am nearly twentv-six years old, and in another 
five years I would be thirty-one. I have learned all that 
I can hope to learn in the army that would assist me in 
civil life. Surely my services will be worth more out 
of the army than in it. At any rate I have nerved my- 
self for the trial, the bridges are burned, and there is no 
retreat." There was one man, Sergeant Worrel, in the 
hospital. Hastings mentioned the fact thinking I might 
have overlooked him. I said that I did not have to say 
"good bye" to him. I had no use for him; he was a thief, 
and would be guilty of any crime he dared to commit, 
and I gave the Lieutenant satisfactory evidence that 
what I said was true, and told him that sooner or later 
lie would find that I was right. I have heretofore stated 
the end of this foul murderer, and will now drop him. 

There were two married men in the troop. Sergeants 
Peel and Espy. Mrs. Peel and Mrs. Espy gave me a fare- 
well dinner, learning which Mrs. Hastings sent them 
some delicacies not to be had otherwise. PeePs only son, 
Percival Lowe Peel, was two years old. Having said 
'^'good bye" to Lieutenant and Mrs. Hastings and their 
lovely children, and to Mrs. Peel and Mrs. Espy and their 
boys, I started out for the first camp, ten miles. When 
half way I saw Colonel Fauntleroy, staff, band and "D" 
Troop en route from Riado to Union. The short cut 
that I was on and the road that they were traveling were 
a mile apart. I wanted to see Bryden, now of the band; 
in fact I would have been glad to salute the Colonel for 
the last time, and the adjutant. Lieutenant Magruder, 
and to say f^good bye" to genial old Band-master Hooper, 



184 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. :^ 

"who had been my dancing master several winters. I got 
under a clump of pinyons^ sat on the ground and saw 
them pass. To go down and shake Bryden's liand would 
never do; it would be a severe trial to say "good bye'^ to 
him, and I did not want to trust myself. And so I watch- 
ed the column, the dear old fellow near the front, his 
trumpet over his shoulder, the cheering notes of which I 
would never hear again. It was my last look at all of 
them except Sergeant Candy of "D" Troop, now Colonel 
Candy of the Hampton Soldiers' Home. 

Arrived in camp Major Chilton's servant came to 
say that the Major wanted to see me. When I reported 
he wanted to know how I was fixed for the, trip. I told 
him I would be all right. 

We came in the Cimarron route, leaving the old 
trail near Diamond Springs, turned north to Fort Riley 
and thence to Fort Leavenworth. At Riley I left the 
command, and arrived at Fort Leavenworth two days 
later, and by invitation of Levi Wilson, who was general 
superintendent of teams, etc., I took my meals at his 
house, a room having been furnished me elsewhere. 

Major Ogden told Mr. Wilson to employ me, and I 
was put in charge of a small train, five six mule teams 
for Fort Riley and met Colonel Cook's command ten miles 
out. I was warmly congratulated on being so well em- 
ployed. I 

This was the beginning of five years' continuous ser- 
vice in the Quartermaster's Department, the most inter- 
esting part of which I will sketch hereafter. 



PART V. 

LATE in the fall of 1852, Major E. H. Chilton, with 
his Troop B, First Dragoons, of which I was then 
first sergeant, escorted Major E. A. Ogden from 
Fort Leavenworth on an expedition to looate a new mil- 
itary post in the vicinity of the forks of the Kansas 
Ejiver — ^the confluence of the Smoky Hill and Eepublican. 
The site selected was afterwards named Fort Riley,t now 
one of the finest militarv posts in America. Some build- 
ings were erected in 1853 and 1854, most of them tem- 
porary, and the post was garrisoned by infantry. I quote 
the following from an address* delivered by me before 
the State Historical Society, January 14, 1890: 

"Of all charming and fascinating portions of our 
country, probably there is none where Nature has been so 
lavish as within a radius of 150 miles, taking Fort Eiley 
as the center. In rich soil, building material, in beauty 
of ;|iandscape, wooded streams and bubbling springs, in 

-4^ y-^--^' 

^' *Addres^ delivered before the Kansas State Historical So- 
!(jiety, at its twenty-fifth annual meeting, January 15, J901. 

'I'v fThe po§t was named in honor of Brevet Major-General 
Bennet Riley, U S. Army, who entered the service in 1813, and 
died in 1863. He distinguished himself in campaigns against 
Indians in Florida, and was breveted brigadier and major- 
general for meritorious and gallant conduct in the war with 
Mexico. — Editor. 

185 



r ^^S^%^' 1\- 





MONUMENT AT FoRT RiLEY IN MeMORY OF THE SEVENTH 

Cavalry Officers and Enlisted Men who Died 
IN Battle with Indians 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. Ig7 

animal life, in everything to charm the eye, gladden the 
heart, and yield to the industry of man, here was the 
climax of the most extravagant dream, perfect in all its 
wild beauty and productiveness; perfect in all that Na- 
ture's God could hand down to man for his improvement 
and happiness/^ 

The Congress that adjourned March 4, 1855, made 
an appropriation for preparing Fort Eiley for a cavalry 
post by erecting new quarters, stables for five troops of 
cavalry, storehouses, etc., the plans of which were pre- 
pared in Washington; and Maj. E. A. Ogden, quarter- 
master IT. S. A., was ordered to take charge of the work. 
The buildings were all to be of stone to be taken from 
quarries in the vicinity of the post. The major made con- 
tracts with Sawyer & Mcllvain — or Mcllwain, of Cincin- 
nati, for the necessary woodwork, doors and frames, win- 
dow-sash, etc., to be made at the factory in Cincinnati 
and shipped with the necessary lumber, hardware, glass, 
etc., by boat to Fort Leavenworth, and thence by wagon 
to Fort Riley. Mr. Sawyer was employed as architect 
and superintendent. I was post wagon-master at Fort 
Leavenworth when the order came to furnish transporta- 
tion for the men to Fort Eiley, and' a request from Maj. 
Ogden that I be nlaced in charge of it. With fifty-six 
mule teams, I met, on the Fort Leavenworth levee, about 
500 men, mechanics, laborers, etc., just landing from 
steamboats, and camped them in Salt Creek Valley. Ex- 
cepting a few Mexican War veterans, none of these men 
had ever been in camp. They were just from their homes 



188 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOOW. 

in Cincinnati or St. Lonis, and, as a large percentage of 
them were married men, this was a novel experience. 
Fortunately, the day was fine and we got into camp 
early. 

Without incident of much importance we arrived at 
Fcrt Eiley in four days, without a storm or other serious 
discomfort. The men cheerfully walked, turn about, in 
order to make time and get permanently settled. All 
were located in quarters or camped under canvas, and 
work in all branches commenced the first week in July. 
Excavations for foundations, quarrying rock, burning 
lime, making brick, cutting wood for burning them, haul- 
ing rock, sand, wood, etc., burning charcoal — in short, in 
a few days all of the gangs of mechanics and laborers 
were adjusted to their work and everything was moving 
as smoothly as possible. The messing was the most im- 
portant and the most difficult feature. Some cooks had 
been brought, but most of them had much to learn about 
cooking in oamp. The carpenters seemed to get along 
the best, and were from the first to last a fine lot of men 
and gave no trouble. It fell to my lot, under Major Og- 
den's instructions, to look generally after all camps, and 
from my experience +o advise the cooks about preparing 
the food — the same as allowed to soldiers — and to see 
that the camps were well located. 

By the end of July a kiln of brick, lime and charcoal 
had been burned, and one two-story stone building finish- 
ed, except hanging the doors and putting in the windows, 
and a number of others well under way. This completed 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. Igg 

building was taken possession of for offices^ and two iron 
safes containing the funds for paying the men were put 
in the front room. By contract, the men hired to work 
until the 15th of November, and were to be paid hall 
their wages at the end of each month and the balance at 
the end of the time for which they were hired. They 
were then to be returned by wagon to Fort Leavenworth, 
and thence by boat to St. Louis and Cincinnati, whence 
they came. 

Major Ogden, on horseback or on foot, was conspicu- 
ous for his general supervision of everything, ready to 
call attention to any neglect of work that did not seem to 
be going on to the best advantage, and in that one month 
of July I learned more than I ever have during the same 
length of time. There was very little friction, as the 
major^s experience with men and material was extensive, 
and his well-directed energy and good judgment made 
all of the departments move as nearly in harmony as was 
possible among men suddenly taken into camp from their 
city homes. More than half of them lived in tents. The 
teamsters probably lived better than any other class of 
men on the work, as they were accustomed to camp life; 
some had served in the Army, and were therefore fairly 
vrell disciplined and well versed in cooking Government 
rations. Towards the end of the month a few men becamr^ 
ill, and one or two men died of what was undoubtedly 
cholera. All hands received their half-month's pay on 
the 1st of August and that evening Major Ogden and I 
rode from camp to camp inspecting all the messes and the 



190 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

manner of living. He talked freely and cheerfully, not- 
withstanding the feeling of unrest caused by the few 
cases of sickness, which had been promptly sent to the 
hospital. He dwelt carefully upon all the details and 
expressed the opinion that there would be little danger 
of cholera if the men lived well. He entered into the 
matter with his usual gentle earnestness, and restored 
courage and confidence in many whose homes and friends 
were far away. But this was his last effort; the last 
cheering words to the men he had brought to this new 
territory to build what was then considered a great mil- 
itary post. We also went through all of the quarters 
occupied by the men, accompanied by Mr. Sawyer, in 
whom the mechanics had great confidence. When Major 
Ogden arrived to build the post, all of the troops had 
left for the summer^s campaign on the plains, so that 
of the military there were left only the Army surgeon, 
Dr. Simmons, Chaplain Clarkson, Bandmaster Jackson 
and a few other members of the band of the Sixth In- 
fantry, the hospital steward, whose name I am sorry I 
do not remember, and a young soldier whose term of 
service would expire in a few months. He acted as 
orderly for the major. During the night of the 1st of 
August cholera developed rapidly. The morning of the 
Sd dawned on a camp in great anxiety and distress. 
Major Ogden had been taken sick and, although every 
effort was made to keep this information from spread- 
ing, it flew like wildfire and caused a panic. A burial 
party, and a gang of men to dig graves were organized. 




MAJOR E. A. OGDEN. 




DR. SAMUEL PHILIPS. 



o 

> 

> 

CO 

> 

w 
f 

H 




13— 



192 ^1^'E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

Several died tha,t day. Work was generally suspended, 
thongli Sawyer tried to Iveep men at work, and a few 
did work, without stopping. I have no idea how many 
men were sick, but much of the illness was caused by 
mental anxiety. The slightest indisposition was attrib- 
uted to cholera, and often resulted in bringing it on. 
All sorts of wild reports were afloat, and a stranger 
coming in would think half the garrison in a dying con- 
dition, everything was so exaggerated. 

Sawyer and Hopkins, the chief clerk, gave special 
attention to Major Ogden. Martin, whose business it 
was to keep the men^s time, mingled with them in camp 
and quarters, including the hospital, and gave much 
attention to burying the dead and nursing the sick. I 
never saw a cooler or more intelligently nervy man. 

I moved all the teams four miles up the Eepublican 
Eiver to a fine, dry camp, partly for the safety of the 
men and partly to prevent mules being stolen to ride 
rway on, several having been already taken. I instructed 
the men not to leave camp or allow anyone to approach 
it; built a corral of the wagons for present use; gave 
orders to corral the mules every night, and set the men 
to cutting Cottonwood poles and building a large corral, 
which was needed. I knew that the distress was great 
enough to justify sending an express to Fort Leaven- 
worth for medical assistance. The doctor was utterly 
unable to meet the demands upon him, and I told Mr. 
Orton, a wagon-master, to report to me, ready to go, and 
mounted on his best mule, but not to let anyone know 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON 



193 



that he was going. I called to see Major Ogden in the 
fore part of the evening. There was no hope for him. 
Sawyer and Hopkins knew it, and asked me for a reliahle 
man to carry letters to Fort Leavenworth. I told them 
that Mr. Orton was ready, and that I had selected him, 
much as I disliked to part with him, because I knew 
he would get there as quickly as it was possible to go. 
He left about 10 p. m., August 2d, and delivered his let- 
ters at Fort Leavenworth about 2 p. m., August 4th, 
having ridden 130 miles on one mule in forty hours. He 
fed himself and mule several times, but did not sleep. 
After Orton had gone, I went to the hospital with 
Martin. Sawyer had appointed nurses, with promise of 
extraordinary pay, and they seemed to be trying to do 
their best, but all the sick had not been brought there. 
Many were in the camps. The hospital steward was a 
good man, and stuck to his post cheerfully, but the doc- 
tor seemed to have given up, and had not been seen about 
the sick since morning. Murmuring and discontent were 
general, and it was known that many men had gone — 
struck off down the road on foot. About midnight Mar- 
tin promised to keep moving about if I would lie down 
awhile, which I did on a buffalo-robe in the office where 
the safes were I had scarcely closed my eyes when I 
heard groans in the room next to me. I looked in and 
found Hopkins in great agony, with a bad case of chol- 
era. Two men were doing their best for him. I stayed 
with him a few minutes and then went to the steward, 
at the hospital, who gave me some brandy. On my way 



194 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

back I called at the doctor's quarters. He came to the 
door himself. I told him of Mr. Hopkins' illness, and 
asked if he could go and see him. I saw that he was 
nearly a physical and mental wreck. He shook his head 
sadly and said, while he shoved up his sleeves and 
rubbed his arms and hands: "Mr. Lowe, I am unstrung" 
— unfit for anything. I want to take my family to St. 
Mary's Mission. I wish you Avould send me an ambu- 
lance. I want to get off as quickly as possible." I told 
him I had no ambulance under my immediate charge — 
in fact, there was not then an ambulance at the post. 
I returned to Hopkins with the brandy, and then went 
to Major Ogden's headquarters. Sawyer was about re- 
ceiving his last message to his wife. "Tell her/^ he said, 
"that I appreciated her love to the last." 

The distress on August 2d was as nothing compared 
with the horrors of the 3d. Brevet Major Wood had 
gone to Fort Kearney with his company, leaving his wife 
and two children. All had cholera. Brevet Major Armis- 
tead, afterwards Major-General Armistead of the Con- 
federate Army, had gone up the Smoky Hill with his 
company, leaving his wife and two children. His wife 
had cholera. Additional cases were noted all over the 
post. Thus the morning of the 3d opened. An ambu- 
lance had gone after Major Armistead. Eeverend Mr. 
Clarkson, the post chaplain, with his wife and niece, 
were the only nurses for Mrs. Wood and her two chil- 
dren and Mrs. Armistead. I never saw braver or more 
devoted nurses and friends than the Clarksons. They 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 195 

took Mrs. Armistead^s two children home, and did every- 
thing that could be done for the others. But Mrs. Wood 
and her two children and Mrs. Armistead died during 
the day. Mr. Saw^^er wanted to use the messenger — the 
young soldier acting orderly for the major — but I found 
him in the room over the office where I had tried to 
sleep, dying of cholera. Sawyer procured the lead lin- 
ings from the tea-caddies in the commissary, and had 
Major Ogden's coffin made air-tight. 

Fifteen in all died on the 3d of August — Major Og- 
den, Mrs. Armistead, Mrs. Wood and two children, the 
major's orderly, and nine workmen. A few men were 
at work all the time, and Mr. Sawyer encouraged them 
to continue, but their surroundings were distracting. A 
delegation waited on Mr. Sawyer and earnestly insisted 
that the balance due them should be paid and they al- 
lowed to go. Sawyer explained to them that, even if 
they were entitled to more pay, it could not be given 
to them, as there was no one to nay them, and the money 
was locked up in the safe, which could not be opened. 
A little after noon I galloped off to my camp on the 
Republican, found everything all right, and no sickness 
among the fifty men there. I did not dismount, nor did 
I allow anyone to come near me. I returned to the post 
about three o'clock, and saw Mr. Sawyer and Rev. Mr. 
Clarkson sitting on the latter's front porch looking at 
e band of men in the middle of the parade-ground. 
Sawyer called to me, and I hitched my horse and joined 
them on the porch. Mr. Clarkson made the following 



196 J^IVE YEARS A DRAGOON. '% 

statement: Mr. Robert Wilson, the post sutler, who 
had a very large stock of goods in his store, had locked 
up everything and taken his family away in the morn- 
ing, accompanied by one of Major Ogden^s clerks. Soon 
after I left, about one o'clock, the store was broken 
into by a gang of men, some goods scattered about, a 
barrel of whiskey rolled out, a head knocked in, and^ 
with tin cups, the men helped themselves. When well 
bquored up, led by a big stonemason, some of them broke 
open the building used for the post ordnance depart- 
ment, and armed themselves with guns, pistols, and 
ammunition. 

And there they were, in a half-drunken condition, 
on the parade-ground, airing their grievances, threaten- 
ing to break open the safes and pay themselves, etc. 
But a small portion of the revelers armed themselves 
(about twenty-five), and they formed a circle, with their 
loader inside, while all sorts, drunk and sober, looked on. 
We could hear piainly most that was said, and they 
meant that we should hear; and, if carried out, it looked 
serious. A committee headed by this fellow had waited 
upon Sawyer before they broke into the sutler's store 
and demanded the pay they claimed was due them. 
Sawyer was a man of good courage, but of quiet dispo- 
sition, and not a very strong man. Seeing the apparent 
determination of the fellow and his following. Sawyer 
parleyed a little, and said that when I came we would 
consult about it. The man said that if I did not come 
d — d quick, they would not wait. And this violent dem- 



198 ^I^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

onstration on the parade-ground seemed to be a warning 
to accede to their demand. Of course, Sawyer's refer- 
once to me was a mere ruse to gain time and form some 
plan of action. I suggested that I go and talk to the 
njen, since my name had been mentioned. I knew the 
leader pretty well, and thought he would listen to me; 
at any rate, I might check him up until we had a little 
more time, and perhaps bridge over until he would sober 
lip. I never was more anxious for a good company of 
soldiers under a good officer. 

Sawyer rather demurred at my trying to pacify 
these men — it was against his judgment, and might pre- 
cipitate trouble. I assured him that I would not make 
matters worse. The day was exceedingly hot and i 
took Sawyer's umbrella. As I approached, I saw thai: 
most of this valiant chief's followers were hopelessly 
drunk. The leader stood in the center flourishing a 
pistol, which was apparently cocked. A drunken man 
noticed me, and cried out, "Hurrah for the mounted 
chief!" a name given me and by which I was generally 
referred to, because I was always moving about pretty 
lively on horseback, while others in charge of work or 
exercising any authority were on foot. I stepped into 
the circle and said to the leader, "What is the matter, 

Mr. ?" QuicK as lightning he sprang back and 

leveled his pistol, and if it had been at full cock, 1 
would have been shot. Up to this time I had no defi- 
nite plan of action — had no arms and no fixed notion 
of what I would do. Whatever I did dawned upon me 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 199 

instantly. The violent threats of the man caused me 
to act; the impulse was irresistible. Dropping the um- 
brella, I seized his pistol, gave him a trip and quick jerk, 
and his huge body fell so heavily that the breath was 
knocked out of him. I had his pistol and threatened 
to kill him if he moved. As soon as he could get breath, 
he begged for his life. The crowd seemed dumb. With 
my left hand I jerked a gun from the nearest man, who 
was so drunk that he fell over. Throwing the gun on 
the ground, I told the others to pile their guns and 
pistols on it. I never saw an order more promptly 
obeyed. 

The mutiny, or rebellion, so far as these men were 
conc^^rned, was over. I called to a lot of carpenters an<^ 
asked them to carry the guns and pistols to the quarter- 
master's office, which they did, and put them by the 
two iron safes. Quite a quantity of ammunition was 
disgorged by the disarmed men, and a ridiculous part of 
it was that much of it was not suitable for the arms 
they had. But few of the guns were properly loaded, 
and some not at all. It was a drunken outfit all around. 
I said but little to them beyond the plain and emphatic 
statement that no Grovernment property should be mo- 
lested; no noise or drunken rioting would be permitted; 
no misbehavior of any kind; and the man who broke 
one of these rules would do so at his peril, for hence- 
forth the line was drawn, and this was to be considered 
a notice to all bad men. While I believed that nine- 
tenths of all the men employed would do their best in 
this trying time, I exhorted them to stand by and help 




^ 



o 

W 

O 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 201 

each other. The fallen and bruised leader protested his 
sorrow, laying it all to whiskey. The indignation ex- 
pressed by many good men reached the manhood that 
was trying to assert itself through the fumes of the 
whisk3y he had taken. He was a foreman, a fine work- 
man, came to Mr. Sawyer highly recommended, and had 
a respectable family in Cincinnati. The terrible condi- 
tion so demoralized him that with the heat and whiskey 
he became crazed. I learned afterwards that he had no 
hand in breaking into the store, but drank freely when 
he found the whiskey. There had to be a severe check 
somewhere, to set the reckless element to thinking, 
and bring the better element to the front and establish 
leaders. 

This was the turning - point. It happened oddly 
enough, but was effective. Men of different trades or- 
ganized themselves into squads to keep good order and 
to assist each other. Nurses volunteered for the hos- 
pital and in the camps. Voluntary help came pouring 
in, though I found that many men had left the post. 
There was no way of stopping them, and under the cir- 
cumstances perhaps it was well that they should go. 
But where could they go? There was no settlement in 
the immediate country. There was one family at the 
bridge across the Big Blue, nineteen miles east, and 
the Catholic mission and Pottawatomie village of St. 
Mary's, fifty-two miles east, where good Father Duer- 
inck had established a college and was gathering in the 
young Pottawatomies and teaching them, with admirable 
success, to become good citizens. Here Mrs. Bertram 



202 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



kept the only hotel worth the name between Fort Eiley 
and Leavenworth. Captain Alley's store at Silver Lake, 
the Pottawatomie homes and the eating-place at Hick- 
ory Point finishes the list of settlements, save here and 
there at long intervals a squatter's shanty. (I do not 
say ''cabin/' because that indicates a home built of logs, 
with a fireplace, where warmth, comfort and contentment 
abound in winter and cool restfulness in summer.) Such 
houses did exist at long intervals along the streams, but 
seldom on the high prairie. A shanty, boarded up and 
down, with a stovepipe through the roof, was the rule, 
and a decent mian ought to have died alone rather than 
intrude himself on one of these poor families, under 
the circumstances. 

A small steamboat had run up the Kaw to Manhat- 
tan, twenty miles east of Fort Eiley. (At the time i 
write of I had not seen Manhattan, and do not know 
what settlements were there.) A lot of the stampeders 
from Fort Eiley took possession of her and ran down 
the river for a few miles, got aground and had to leave 
ber. Martin told me of a raft of logs down in the river, 
tied to some trees. He learned that the men who had 
made the raft were waiting for night, when they would 
cover it with lumber from a pile of pine flooring near by. 
I went with him, cut all the ropes, and set the logs float- 
ing singly down the river. This saved the lumber. The 
men probably deserted. 

Major Armistead's quarters were the second west 
of the quartermaster's office. Mrs. Clarkson and her 
niece had prepared the body of Mrs. Armistead for burial, 



FTVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 203 

but it was not to be coffined until the major's a.rrival. En- 
tering the hall through the door from the south porch, 
one walked about ten feet north and entered a room 
through a door on the left. At the left of the door stood 
a bed, with head to the east. From the mantel at the 
west end of the room a candle shed a dim light over 
the room and the bed, on which lay Mrs. Armistead, the 
white bed-clothes covering her as if asleep. Her face 
w:?.s not covered, and to one standing a little way from 
the bed she seemed to be sleeping peacefully, and no 
one not cognizant of the fact would have thought her 
dead — a lovely picture of a lovely woman. Mr. Clark- 
son informed me that his wife and niece were worn out, 
but would attend to Mrs. ^Yood's quarters, where she 
and her children were coffined, ready for burial in the 
morning, and he asked me to take charge of the Armis- 
tead quarters, which I promised to do. 

Counting the time that the ambulance had been 
gone, I expected the major sometime before midnight. 
T knew thet the faithful driver, K. B. Cecil, now a 
wealthy farmer of Platte County, Missouri, would spare 
no eifort to bring him quickly. About ten o'clock 1 
heard an ambulance rattling over the stony road, knew 
it was the major, and dreaded to meet him. As the 
ambulance stopped at the porch, I opened the door and 
the major sprang out, shook my hand and inquired: 
•'How about my family?" I hesitated a little, which 
lie interpreted as a bad omen and continued : "Are they 
all gone-— wife, children and all?" "No, major," said 
I, "your children are safe at Mr. Clarkson's. He said 



204 i'^I^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

no more then. Taking hold of his left arm, we walked 
to and stepped inside the room. Taking off his hat, he 
cried out: '^Oh, my poor wife! Oh, my poor wife!" The 
agony of that minute during which he gazed on her 
was terrible. I led him gently away. When on the 
porch, he said: "I will take my children on the plains 
with me. I will take them away to-morrow/' I assured 
him that I would have his quarters cared for, and ho 
went to Mr. Clarkson's, where his children, a boy ar.d 
n girl, were located. Martin came to me about midnight; 
he said he had gotten quite a nap and would relieve me. 
T went to the office, put an unhung door on the two 
iron safes, two robes on that, and tried to sleep. I did 
uot fear an attack on the safes, though I was well pre- 
pared for it. For two days and nights I had scarcely 
closed my eyes. I thought I had seen enough suffering 
Tiud wickedness in this one day to haunt me a lifetime. 
]n the room overhead was the dead soldier; Hopkins, 
in a critical condition, was in the adjoining room; Major 
Ogden, Mrs. Armistead, Mrs. Wood and her two chil- 
dren wcTe dead — all within a short distance of each 
other. Others were still unburied and an additional ono 
reported dead from time to time. Several new cases were 
reported to me while at Major Armistead's quarters. 
At the rate of increase the outlook was alarming. 

How good comes of evil wias illustrated here. The 
outrage of breaking into the sutler's store and of taking 
arms from the ordnance building created great excite- 
ment throughout the post. Disarming the rioters and 
their probable immediate departure soon after relieved 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 205 

the minds of the hetter element, gave new courage, 
cemented a brotherhood among those remaining, and cre- 
ated a determination to help — to assist instead of de- 
stroy; and I have alwa^-s believed that if I had met 
nothing but the continued distress prevailing, I should 
have collapsed. But this exciting episode cleared my 
head and stirred my energies to greater action, and 
many others were similarly affected. 

I had not slept long when I was aroused by some 
loose animals rubbing against the front porch. It was 
three o'clock by my watch. I was surprised that I had 
slept at all. I then went over to the Armistead quar- 
ters. Martin had fastened the door leading from the 
hall into Mrs. Armistead's room, and he lay asleep in 
the hall. I mounted my horse, rode to my o^vn tent, 
where the cavalry stcbles now stand, and got break- 
fast. I then went over to the hospital. The dead were 
being coffined and carried out, while others took their 
places. Heroic efforts were being made to keep the 
hospital and bedding clean. Mr. Sawyer had made the 
best arrangements possible, under the circumstances, fcr 
nursing, washing, cleaning quarters, etc., and it was n 
surprise to me how well the attendants did. To chang > 
bedding and attend to the necessities of a long room 
full of men in the agonies of the fatal disease required 
attentive and intelligent work. Burial parties were un- 
der way, and I rode over to the cemetery and found the 
grave-diggers already at work under a foreman. I am 
writing now of the morning of the 4th of August. The 



>r 





< 

O 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 207 

doctor and his family had gone; fifteen had died on 
the 3d, and probably fifty were nnder tre/atment. 

In writing this I would like to refer less frequently 
to myself, but I only tell what camie under my own ob- 
servation — what I saw or knew of. I went to Mr. Saw- 
yer and reported the status of affairs as I saw them. He 
and Martin would attend to the burial of the major, Mrs. 
Armistead, Mrs. Wood and her two children. Leaving 
Sawyer, I went to the dispensary in the hospital to get 
from the steward a bottle each of brandy and port win'^. 
to carry with me on my rounds among the camps. The 
steward introduced me to a young man who had just 
come in on horseback. Doctor Whitehorn. He came 
from Dyer^s Bridge, nineteen miles east, near which he 
bad a claim. For fear of doubts of his being a doctor, 
he was showing the steward his diploma and other testi- 
monials, including a letter from Mr. D3^er. He was a 
light-built, wir}^, sunburned youth, and carried on his 
saddle the old-fashioned doctor^s saddle-bags. I told 
him that Mr. Sawyer was now at the head of affairs, bur. 
that I would introduce him and then show him around, 
which I did, and he was warmly welcomed. Cholera was 
a new disease to the doctor, and he was very young; but 
he was cool, quiet, self-reliant, intelligent, and pos- 
sessed good judgment. When he entered the hospital, 
word passed from one to another, "We have a doctor/*' 
and this had a good effect. He soon impressed them 
very favorably. A spoonful of brandy or port wine by 
the doctor's order would do more good than from me. 

i4- 



208 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

1 spent the forenoon with him^ and showed him the 
quarters, camps, etc. 

I then rode to my teamster camp on the Eepnblican 
River during the afternoon, and found all well. Towards 
evening, while riding around, I stopped to talk with a 
joung stone-cutter from St. Louis. I had often talked 
with him and liked him. Major Armistead had selected 
a stone to be put up at his wif e^s grave, and this young 
man was cutting the letters and figures on it. He 
seemed well and said that he felt so, but he was not as 
cheerful as usual and I tried to encourage him. The 
next morning this handsome young fellow joined those 
on the side of the hill beyond the deep ravine. I men- 
tion this instance to show how suddenly and unexpect- 
edly the strongest and best were taken away. I do not 
know just how many died this day, but about the same 
number as on Aus^ust 3d. Miss Fox, step-daughter of 
Foragemaster Lowe, was among those who died on the 
4th. I am sorry that I do not remember the names of 
the men who worked day and night to help those who 
could not help themiselves. 

George W. McLain, a newspaper man of Weston, 
Mo., was driving through the country in a buggy, and 
came into Fort Riley from Council Grove. On asking 
for the commanding officer, he learned that he was 
dead. He found me, and I advised him to drive on 
and to hold his breath until miles away. He seemed 
inclined to do that, but could not resist the temp- 
tation of getting items enough to write up the con- 
ditions. As we passed a small house on our way to 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 209 

liis buggy we heard a female voice in great distress. 
On going in, we saw a woman, wife of a corporal 
who was away with his company, apparently in the 
agonies of death. On a bed, with hands, feet and limbs 
cTamped, and a frenzied expression, she was a terrible 
picture. She had been ill but a short time. There 
was no one to help her — a woman could not be found 
to attend her. McLain took off his coat and hat, laid 
them on a chair, rolled up his sleeves and went to the 
gtove, where there was a kettle with warm water in it 
— in short, took an inventory of the surroundings. I 
went to the hospital for brandy and port wine, and when 
I returned McLain was rubbing the woman vigorously 
and talking to her in the most cheerful manner ; told 
her he was a doctor and would surely cure her. No 
woman could have handled her better than he did, and, 
being a strong man, he was not easily tired. He gave 
her some brandy, and turning to me, said in a low tone: 
^'Lowe, my heart is in this thing. This woman, with- 
out a friend within reach, her husband serving his coun- 
try in the Army, must not be left here to die. She is 
going to live ; I ^11 see that she does." Turning to her, 
he said: "1^11 wait on you all night and all day to- 
morrow, until you are well." 

I left him in a few minutes, had his team cared for, 
sent him something to eat, and called early the next 
morning. The woman was asleep, and McLain said that 
her symptoms were good. She got well. If she had not 
tliought him a doctor, the shock would have been fatal. 
This man afterwards became very prominent. He was 



210 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

l:nown throughout the country as General George Wash- 
ington McLain, started newspapers^ and was always a 
correspondent. He was generous when plenty smiled, 
and patient when poverty stalked abroad, and after a 
life of ups and downs, he balanced his accounts, paid oft 
all his earthly debts and passed to his reward a few years 
ago in Leadville, Colo. He had lived much at the nation- 
al capital, knew the prominent men from every State in 
the Union, and had friends everywhere. He possessed a 
brilliant mind, and with an unlimited fund of information, 
was a most charming companion. I never knew his 
lineage, but the blood that coursed through his heart and 
fed his brain was not of the common sort. Whatever hi:, 
faults, and he had them, he deserved a better fate than 
than that which overtook him. His virtues covered his 
faults miles deep. 

Hopkins improved. I firmly believe that much of 
the sickness was caused by mental trouble — the horrors 
of the surroundings. There were not so many deaths 
on the 5th as on the 3d or 4th, but a good many. The 
outlook was better. We had lost 150 or mote men by 
desertion. All discordant elements were now gone, and 
we were getting used to working together. 

We had a good deal of pine tar in barrels, brought to 
the post to mix with gravel as a covering for the stable 
roofs. Someone suggested that it was a good disinfect- 
ant, and on the evenings of August 4th and 5th, when a 
gentle south wind favored, we had fires built where the 
fumes and smoke would float into the open windows, and 
burned tar at all of them. Whether this did much good 



X 
> 




212 F^y^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

or not, it counteracted offensive odors. The doctor 
thought well of it. The night of the 5th I slept well 
on the top of the safes. There were not so many 
new cases reported the morning of the 6th, and every 
good report gave renewed hope. As the 6th wore on I 
thought it time to hear something from the message 
sent by Orton. Down the roiad I saw a four-mule Govern- 
ment ambulance a mile and a half away. I knew it must 
contain a doctor and probably an officer, and I galloped 
down to meet it. Just before I met the ambulance my 
horse sprang suddenly to one side and came near throwing 
me. He was frightened by a dead negro, who had died of 
cholera and been buried in a shallow grave, and the 
wolves had dug him up and pulled him into a leaning 
posture, his body mostly uncovered and one arm raised 
above his head. He w^as a horrible-looking sight. This 
had been the camp of the Government hay contractors, 
Messrs. Dyer & Co.; the negro was their cook. All the 
other members of the party had left for their homes 
in Clay County, Missouri. 

The ambulance contained Lieutenant Carr, now Gen- 
eral Eugene Carr, retired and Dr. Samuel Phillips,* my 
room-mate at Fort Leavenworth, a young contract doctor, 

*Dr. Phillips volunteered for this duty to General E. V. 
Sumner, then commanding Fort Leavenworth, every one 
of ■ the many young physicians practicing" in the city at 
Leavenworth declining this service. For this professional 
work Dr. Phillips was paid by General Sumner less than forty 
dollars, though his inclinations to pay him a much larger sum 
were the best. It was all he had at his disposal. Dr. Phillips 
continues to practice his profession in the city of Leavenworth, 
and is a vigorous man for his advanced years. — Editor. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 213 

1 never was more pleased to see a man in my life. Oarr 
I knew as a young officer en route to New Mexico the 
year before. I was anxious for a commanding officer 
with authority. The discretionary power of the military 
commander is very great, no matter what his rank. If 
not hampered with instructions, he can often do what a 
man with less power would hesitate to do. I have always 
admired a man who would not hesitate to take responsi- 
bility. Lieutenant Carr was not sent to replace Major 
Ogden permanently, but to take charge in the emergen- 
cy and do whatever a good officer could do under the 
stress of circumstances. These remarks apply also to 
Phillips. Ko better man could have been selected for 
such an emergency. While Carr received from Sawyer 
an account of the situation, Phillips proceeded at once 
to the hospital, met Doctor Whitehorn, and went from ^ 
place to place to examine tlie sick. The medical depart- 
ment was now under Phillips' control — it had a head'' 
with authority. To show the effects of coiifidence in 
a doctor, good nursing and encouragement/ each day 
brought fewer cases, mien settled down to work mord 
cheerfully, until there was no more cholera. I do not 
know how many died — in fact, I think I never did know, 
but the number was not less than 75 nor probably more 
than 100. Of the men who left in the excitement, a 
few were known to have died. I presume the records 
show all who left, all who died at the post, and all who 
remained. 

The post, since its establishment, had been supplied 
with water from the Kaw Eiver, just below the junc- 



214 ^ly^ TEARS A DRAGOON- 

lion of the Smoky Hill and Eepublicajn. The Smoky 
Hill wias milky and brackish^ the Eepublican clear. The 
two mingled where the water was dipped up. On the 
inorning of the 2d I went with the water-wagon and 
showed the m^en where they would get water until 
further notice. Surely the Republieain was clear and 
pure; but feeling some delicacy about assuming author- 
ity in a matter of so much importance as the water 
supply^, I took a jug full from each place, and one from 
a large spring, to DoctoT Simmons, and asked him to 
examine and see which was best. He seemed in great 
distress about his family, and said that he could give 
me no advice. Sawyer, Hopkins, Clarksoai and Martin 
thought it a good move, and often afterwards ex- 
pressed the opinion that, while the water formerly used 
did not cause the cholera, the Republican water was 
much safer and probably had something to do with re- 
storing health. For several nights before the cholera 
broke out, and continuing to the night of the 3d, we 
had violent storms of rain, thunder and lightning, last- 
ing several hours and ending about midnight. One 
would think that this would purify the air — perhaps it 
did. I do not suggest that the cholera grew out of it, 
but merely mention it as a peculiar circumstance. No 
doubt the germs of the disease were brought originally 
with the men. 

Near a spring west of where Junction City now is, 
two men were attending a lime-kiln. On August 5th I 
sent a team over after a load of lime. A little Ger- 
man from Herman, Mo. (I cannot remember his fullj 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 215 

name — Henry, we called him), one of the most faith- 
ful men I ever knew, drove the team. As he did not 
come in as soon as I expected, I rode down to the river 
about dark and met him coming across. He said that 
one man was "bad sick" when he got there. He helped 
the other man care for the sick one until he died. They 
put the dead man in the wagon and started, and the 
other one was now sick. The teamster had to stop 
many times to help the sick man, who "go died'' just 
before the team reached the river. The poor teamster 
v>^a& greatly distressed, and apologized for not bringing 
the lime. He had volunteered to go because the lime- 
burners were his friends, and he wanted to see how 
they were getting along. He lived through and con- 
veyed the dying messages of the two to their friends. 
From day to day there was improvement, work 
went on in all departments, and more men were sent 
from , Fort Leavenworth to itake the places of those 
who died or deserted. Lieutenant Corle}', Sixth In- 
fantry, relieved Lieutenant Carr, and by the 1st of Ssp- 
tember everything was in full blast and work progress- 
ing rapidly. Some building supplies were needed and 
work would be retarded unless they were brought quick- 
ly. I was ordered to take thirtv-six mule teams and go 
after them. I got the order at three o'clock n. m. The 
wagons were all dismantled, covers and bows stored away, 
and the beds arranged for hauling stone, sand, lime, 
wood, brick, ot any sort of building material. By sun- 
set I had thirty wagons full rigged, thirty of the beat 



21Q FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 

mule teams ready to hitch to them, and rations and 
forage drawn^, all ready to start. 

An expressman started about that time with requi- 
sition for the supplies that I was to bring, and I told 
him to say to the shipping clerk at Fort Leavenworth 
that I would not be long behind him, and would start 
back as soon as I could load, and to please have the 
loading so arranged that there would be no delay. I 
wrote a note to my friend, Levi Wilson, general super- 
intendent, requesting him to look a little after the 
requisition, because several hundred men might be de- 
layed more or less on the work at Fort Riley, and I 
wanted to make a trip that would beat any record for 
moving six-mule teams. The expressman laughed at 
the idea of my reaching our coanmon destination soon 
after he did. I started at sunrise the next morning 
and camped in Salt Creek Valley, three miles from Fort 
Leavenworth, the third evening — ^127 miles in three 
days — about 43 miles per dav. I rode to the post that 
evening, only twenty-four hours behind the expressman; 
and he had started eleven hours ahead of me on a good 
saddle-mule. I spent the evening with friends talking- 
over the exciting; events at Fort Riley, of which they 
had heard many exaggerated accounts. I had been re- 
ported dead of cholera at one time and killed by a mob 
at a,nother. I returned to camp at midnight, and at 
seven o'clock the next morning was loading at the ware- 
houses and steamboat landing, and by four in the after- 
noon I was back in Salt Creek Valley, heavily loaded. 
There was much talk that day about the quick trip I 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 217 

had made, and everybody expected to see the mules m 
bad condition, and was surprised to see a fine lot of 
mules and active, wide-awake teamsters — ^no one hang- 
ing back in a tired way, but all pushing and trying to 
help alomg. I rolled out of Salt Creek Valley the next 
morning, and before sunset of the fourth day parked 
my train at Fort Eiley. having made about thirty-two 
miles per day. The mules were turned into the herd 
up the Eepublican, tired but uninjured. We had been 
eight days and seven nights traveling 260 miles, includ- 
ing loading. No one expected me foir two davs more, 
and the fact that no mules were killed or injured, be- 
yond being tired, which they would make up in a week's 
rest, was a surprise. 

Government teams generally make one drive per 
day. I have seldom met an Army man who did not in- 
sist upon doing his day's work, long or short, and then 
going into camn. I had learned on the Santa Fe trail 
how Aubrey, Bent, Maxwell and all the Mexican freight- 
ers worked their teams — ^two and three drives a day. To 
drive teams with empty wagons forty-two miles a day, 
or loaded thirty-two miles a day, would soon ruin them, 
if the drives were continuous. Having made about one- 
half of my day's drive, I halted, took off harness, and 
turned the mules loose with lariats on, but without 
picket-pins. They rolled, drank freely, and grazed an 
hour, while the men ate dinner. Arrived in camp for 
the night, the mules were turned loose again the same 
way, and before dark were caught up, fed corn, and 
picketed for the night. The first thing in the morning 



218 FIVE YEARS A DRAaOON. 

they were watered, then fed corn, and, breakfast ovar, 
were hitched nry and started "Qsnally by sunrise. No 
corn was fed at noon, but the grass was fine a.nd much 
better for them. On the evenino- of my return I showed 
the quarter master and Mr. Sawyer mv memorandum of 
the contents of each wagon — each numbered and its con- 
tents put down under the number. From this they knew 
where each wagon should be unloaded. 

From this time there seemed to be no check, de- 
ficit, or friction: a sort of steady discipline, rare among 
large numbers of men of various trades in civil life, pro- 
vailed all the wav through, and all that could be ex- 
pected was accomnlished. Undoubtedly the retained pay 
had a steadying influence, but I think that after the 
exodus, during the prevalence of cholera, there was a 
remarkably good set of men left. I have alwavs thought 
that sending the ttroops away during the building of the 
post was a mistake. Taking 500 men there who were 
governed only by self-interest, with no law to curb the 
bad element sure to exist in any body of men, seemed 
to be not a wise move, when Armistead and Wood, with 
their companies, could just as well have remained in the 
vicinity, changing camp from time to time, and been 
within call if needed. 

I will now refer briofly to the Ogden moinument. 
The original was designed by Mr. Sawyer, and prepared 
and erected by quarrymen, stone-cutters, laborers and 
teamsters, under the direction of Mr. Sawyer and my- 
self, without other cost to the Government than the pay 
of the men while the work was being done. The stone 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 219 

was of the kind used in the buildings of Fort Kiley. In 
time, neither the Government nor anyone else heeding 
it, cattle made of it a rubbing-post, vandals chipped 
pieces from it and scratched their names on it, and it 
became a wreck. It was not expected to be permanent, 
the hope of the builders being that it would be replaced 
with something worthy of the man whose memory it 
was intended to perpetuate — commensurate with his 
ability and devotion to duty; a monitor to all entrusted 
with the care and control of others. Another shaft was 
afterward erected, much better than the original, but 
not what it ought to have been. I do not know how 
nor where the money was raised, nor under whose direc- 
tion it was put up. This, too, was neglected, left a 
rubbing-po'st for cattle after the wooden fence around 
it rotted down; and vain simpletons, who like to "see 
their names and faces in all public places,'^ defaced 
the stone. 

In 1887 General James W. Forrsyth, then colonel of 
the Seventh Cavalry, took command of Fort Eiley. He 
had never known Major Ogden, and until I, while on 
a visit to Fort Eiley, told him the story of the death 
of Ogden and the erection of the shaft, he did not know 
its history. He then knew that it was in memoTy of 
a brother ofPi.oefr who died at his post in the discharge 
of duty under the most trving circumstances, and he 
took prompt measures to preserve it. He secured a 
small allowance from the Quartermaster^'s Department 
with which, and some labor within his control, he had 



220 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



it repaired — scratches worked out and a permanent iron 
fence put around it. 

About the 1st of November, Major Ogden's remains 
were disinterred and shipped to TJnadilla, ISTew York, 
where they now rest under a beautiful monument 



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Monument op Major E. A. Ogden, Quartermaster U. S. 
Army, Located at Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1855. 

erected by his brother officers and friends. Requiescat 
in pace. 

A part of the Second Dragoons came up from Texas 
in October, 1855. Colonel Cooke came in from the 
Harney expedition against the Sioux, with more of the 
Second Dragoons, to take command of the post. On 
iJie 15th of November, all of the workmen who were 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



221 



entitled to be paid ofl and transported back to St. Louis 
and Cincinnati loaded their effects into wagons that I 
had ready for them — fifty six-mule wagons — ^and in four 
days I landed them on the levee at Fort Leavenworth, 
where boats were waiting to take them away. 




PART VI. 

AND now tho Kansas War was on. I was acting 
post wagomnaster at Fort Leavenworth, when 
one night in May, about 10 o'clock, Lieutenant J. E. B. 
Stuart, regimental quartermaster. First Cavalry, rode 
in with a requisition for foTage and rations for Colonel 
Sumner's command, camped southwest of Westport, Mis- 
souri. He had ridden from there, thirty-four miles, 
since noon. The command would be out of forage and 
provisions the next day, and the order was to have the 
supplies there in time for issue the day after. I was 
instructed to have teams in from the nearest train, 
camped nine miles south, as early as possible. I sent 
woird to the watchman at the stable to bring my horse 
and wake me at 2 o'clock, which he did. 

At 3 :30 in the morning I was in nine-mile camp, 
breakfasted and started back at 4:30, and before 7 we 
were loading at the forage yard and commissary. At 
9 o'clock the train started down the road. We arrived at 
nine-mile camp, fed and watered the mules, and lunched 
and at 1 :30 were on the road again. I did not expect to 
go any further, but Stuart came along just then and said 
the quarter master had left it with him, and he wanted 
me to stay with him all the way through, which I did. 
Tbe roads were exceedingl}^ bad the last few miles be- 
fore reaching the ferry, and it was dark when we got 
the last wagon over the Kaw. The way to Colonel Sum- 
ner's camp was over a crooked road little traveled, 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



223 



much of the way chroiigh timber and mnd holes, with 
no bridges over creeks and deep gullies. Fortunately, 
the moon gave a dim light. Several wagons were upset, 
several trees had 
to be cut down 
where the road 
was too narrow 
and crooked, and 
in many places 
limbs must be 
cut to give room 
for wagons to 
pass. In short, 
at 1 a. m., af- 
ter the most in- 
cessant toil, we 
camped near Col- 
n e 1 Sumner's 
command. I rode 
with Stuart to 
head quarters, 
where he re- 
ported his arri- 
val with train 
and supplies. He 
loaned me a pair 




General J. E. B. Stuart.* 



of blankets, and we both lay down in his tent for a nap. 

1 was nearly worn out. Stuart had been a quiet witness 

*Janies E. B. Stuart was born in Virginia and graduated 
from the Military Academy at West Point in 1854. He was 
then promoted brevet second lieutenant of United States Mount- 
15— . 



224 ^'^''^' >7<;m/i'.s a dragoon. 

of a very hard struggle^ and but for his piloting we 
should not gotten there that night, for he was the only 
one of the party who had been over the road. 

At sunrise I started for my camp about two miles 
out and overtook Lieutenamt Ransom, late General Ean- 
soni of the Confederate Army, and said "Good morning,'^ 
calling his name. He looked at me very sharply and 
returned my greeting pleasantly enough, but I thought 
coolly, as we were on the best of terms. I asked where 
he was going so early, and he said "To Fort Leaven- 
worth." I replied that I was going there too. Just then 
^Ye crossed a clear stream of water, I dismounted, dropped 
my horse's rein, and remarked that I would bathe a 
little and overtake him. He looked askance at me and 
turned off to ride up to a group of officers' tents on the 

ed Riflemen and reported to his regiment in Texas. In March 
1855 he was promoted second lieutenant of the First United 
States Cavalry (now the Fourth), and served as quartermaster 
of that regiment from July 1855 until May 1857. He became 
first lieutenant of the First Cavalry in December 1855, and 
captain in April 1861. 

In May 1861 he resigned and accepted a commission in 
the Confederate service as lieutenant-colonel of a Virginia reg- 
iment. His promotion in the Confederate army was rapid, 
and he was a lieutenant-general commanding the cavalry of 
General Lee's army when he received his mortal wound at 
Yellow Tavern. He died May 12, 1864. 

Stuart saw varied and active service during the time that 
he was a lieutenant in the First United States Cavalry. He 
was in several expeditions and combats with various Indian 
tribes, and was severely wounded in a fight with the Cheyen- 
nes in 1857. He took an active part in the Kansas disturb- 
ances of the fifties, and was in Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston's 
Utah Expedition in 1858. He was at home on leave of absence 
in 1859, and accompanied Colonel Robert E. Lee as a volun- 
teer aide-de-camp in the expedition to suppress John Brown's 
Raid. 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 225 

hill near by. In a clump of willows I took a pretty 
good bath., wiped niy&elf with a towel that I carried in 
my holster, combed my hair and whiskers with my fin- 
gers, and went on to the group of tents where Eansom 
had stopped. With him were several officers in front of 
a tent, seemingly paying considerable attention to me. 
As I rode up they all laughed heartily. The joke seemed 
to be on Eansom. He isaid that he had no idea who I 
was, but that I was the hardest looking man he ever 
saw. I was haggard and weary from want of sleep, my 
hands and face were black with dust and mud, my 
clothes muddy from head to foot, and my horse and 
equipmient no better. Eansom^s description of me was 
weird indeed, and he declared that he was afraid to 
ride with me. He had started without arms, and called 
on Lieutenant Johnson to borrow a pistol. Now that I 
was cleaned up a, little they all knew me. At my camp 
we got some breakfast and rode to Fort Leavenworth, 
where we a.i^rived about 2 o'clock. I was as good as 
new the next day. 

Things kept getting worse in Kansas; marching 
columns and guerrilla bandsi of both parties (Pro-Slavery 
and Free State) were moving about all along the border. 
Outrages were committed by both parties, but the worst 
feature of the warfare was the raids on homes, osten- 
sibly for politioal reasons, really very often for robbery 
and plunder. It seemed necessary to keep United States 
troops in camps and on the move as protection to good 
citizens of both parties and to keep the threatening 
columns apart. United States troops were stationed near 



226 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON- 

Westport, Franklm, Prairie or Baldwin City, Lecomp- 
ton, etc. These camps were headquarters from which 
troops could move quickly when necessary, and must 
be supplied every ten days with forage and provisions. 
Something like 100 wagons were required for that pur- 
pose, and I was detailed hy the quartermaster, Major 
Sibley, to look after them. Most of the supplies went 
by Lawrence, crossing the fei'ry there, when the wagons 
for Franklin were sent off under an assistant wagon- 
master, those for Baldwin City under another, and those 
for Lecompton, the largest command, under another, etc. 

After crossing at Lawrence, I generally went on to 
Lecompton, ten miles, and after finishing there, rode 
across country to other camps if necessary, returning to 
Lawrence about the time the wagons from different 
points reached there, and then to Fort Leavenworth for 
another ten days' supply. While the teams were not 
overworked, I was very much so. I never worked so 
hard and so continuously from May to October as I did 
This season; five months of exposure and overwork, which 
would have ruined any man of weak constitution; and 
it nearly ruined me. 

The Last trip I started on was with a train of sup- 
plies for some troops opposite Topeka. Having deliv- 
ered them I was to ride across to Lecompton and then 
to Lawrence. The train under Mr. Beery started early, 
but I did not get off until afteirnoon. I was ill enough 
to be in bed, but said nothing of it. I rode alone, and 
vras so sick that I could scarcely sit my horse, and afraid 
to dismount lest I could not mount again. In this con- 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



227 



dition I arrived at a house on Stranger Creek, east of 
the crossing near Easton. I did not know the people, 
but dismoimted, staggered into the house, and was un- 
conscious. About 8 o'clock the next morning I opened 
my eyes and recognized the woman standing over me 
bathing my temples and forehead as the one I had seen 
when I dismounted. I felt a little light headed, but my 
mind was clear. I imagined, however, that I had been 
there three days, from Tuesday to Friday. 

The supplies in the train 
were for tw^o commands some 
distance apart, and I had the 
papers, invoices, number of 
wagons to go to each place, 
the contents of each wagon, 
etc. The wagonmaster knew 
nothing about the distribu- 
tion of goods, and, if this was 
Friday, they were a day be- 
hind and there would be con- 
fusion. However, I soon 
learned that my idea of the 
time I had been there w^as 
but a delirium, and this was Gen. Edwin V. Sumner.* 
Wednesday morning. I had been there from 5 o'clock 
Tuesday to 8 o'clock Wednesday. This good woman 

*Edwin Vose Sumner was born in Boston in 1797 and 
educated at Milton Academy. He was appointed second lieu- 
tenant of the Second Infantry in March 18 1 9, became first lieu- 
ten ant in 1823, and was promoted to captain First Dragoons 
(now First Cavalrv) at the organization of that regiment in 
M arch 1833. In 1846 he was promoted major Second Dragoons 




228 ^I^E TEARS A DRAGOON. 

had watched over me all night. Mr. and Mrs. Martin 
Hefferlin were the people, and I might have died but 
for their kindness. My fever lasted nearly all night, 
during which I was quite violent, requiring close atten- 
tion; and now I was nearly helpless, but my mind was 
clear. I inquired what time the stage for Fort Eiley 
would pass, and Mrs. Hefferlin said in about an hour. I 
bundled up mv papers and memorandum book, wrote a 
short explanation and gave it to the stage driver, whom 
I happened to know, and who nromised to give them to 
the wagonmaster. I found I could not ride, and re- 
turned to the fort with Lieutenant Buford (afterwards 
General Buford) who was en route from Fort Eiley in 
an ambulance. For two weeks I alternately shook with 
chills and burned with fever, but finally pulled out. 

(now Second Cavalry), and in 18iS Jieutenant-colonel First 
Dragoons; and when the First Cavalry (now the Fourth) was 
created in 1855, he was appointed its colonel. He was ap- 
pointed brigadier-general in March, 18GI, and major-general 
of volunteers in June of the same year. He died in March, 
1863. 

General Sumner had his share of wars. He distinguish- 
ed himself in the Black Hawk War, and took part in numerous 
expeditions against Indians. He participated in every en- 
gagement of General Scott's army in its advance from Vera 
Cruz to the City of Mexico, was wounded while leading a cav- 
alry charge at Cerro Gordo, and for gallantry in holding 
back %000 Mexican lancers at Molino del Key, was brevetted 
colonel. 

In the Civil War he commanded the First Corps of the 

Army of the Potomac, and was in about all the battles that 

army engaged in, till General Hooker was placed in command 

f it. Thereupon he asked to be relieved and was ordered to 

ommand the Department of Missouri, but he died suddenly 

while on his way to his station. 

He was twice wounded in the Seven Days' Battles before 
Richmond, and received his fourth battle- wound at Antietam. 



FIVE 7EAR8 A DRAGOON. 229 

The incidents of this summer's work were numerous, 
but would be mostly uninteresting now. The history 
of the Kansas War has been written by many able penj, 
some truthful and some garbled and exaggerated. M; 
part in it was that of an humble employe of the Gover..- 
ment. It was not my right or privilege to carry the 
news from Lawrence, the Free State headquarters to 
Leavenworth, the Pro - Slavery headquarters, nor vice 
versa. Of course a great deal came under my observa- 
tion that might have been useful to either party, but 
my life was at stake every day if I became a news- 
bearer in either direction. Both parties contained zealots 
and enthusiasts who would hesitate at nothing to crown 
themiselves with glory by killing some one on the other 
side. Most of the men on either side were merely strug- 
gling for a principle — whether Kansas should be a frea 
or a slave State — whether they should build homes, as 
most of them wanted to, in a free or a slave State; and 
most of both parties were honesty and willing to abidj 
the result of a fair vote; but neither could shake off the 
element that joined for adventure, for revenge, for rob- 
ber}^, for murder; and that element was a curse to both 
parties. 

I was present at Lecompton when the compromise 
was effected, and both parties settled down to peace in 
the fall of 1856. Pro-Slavery and Free State agreed tj 
keep the peace and frown down every disturbing ele- 
ment. Captain Sam Walker was placed in command cf 
a company of Free State men, and Captain John Wal- 
lace in command of a company composed of the best 



230 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

element of the Pro-Slavery party — ^all pledged to act 
together for the common good and the peace and pros- 
perity of the Territory. Homes became safe, murder 
and arson were unpopular. 

One lovely Sabbath, while encamped near Lecomp- 
ton, I saw half a dozen houses burning — all belonging 
to Free State people, who were afraid to remain at 
home and were at Lawrence. Colonel Cook entrusted to 
my care a Free State minister who had been captured 
by the Pro-Slavery party, and whose home was near 
Leavenworth, and requested me to see that he got home 
to his family. He was the Eev. J. H. Byrd. I kept him 
concealed in a wagon, and he got home safely, was in 
charge of the Government farm at Fort Leavenworth 
during the Civil War, and died on his farm near Law- 
rence in September, 1897. 

The ferrv at Lawrence was a flat-boat run by pul- 
leys on a rope stretched across the river and fastened 
to a tree on either side and propelled by the force of 
the current. The boat was not large enough to hold a 
wagon and six mules, so the leaders were detached from 
the team and led around to a shallow ford higher up 
stream, where one mi^'ht cross on horseback or with 
loose animals, but could not cross wagons. A Frenchmau, 
married to a Delaware woman and living with the Del- 
aware Indians on the north side of the river, built a 
boat and stretched a rope; and when I came along one 
day he met me two miles north of the ferry and wanted 
me to cross some of my wagons on his boat. I galloped 
on and found that he had made a good road and had a 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 231 

good boat that would carry a wagon and six-mnle team, 
with room to spare; so I divided the train, going to the 
new ferry, about forty rods below the old one, myself 
with Mr. Lanter, " an assistant wagonniaster, while Mr. 
Beery went to the old ferry. Just as the first wagon 
got on the ferry, I noticed that the old boat was on the 
south side and Beery was calling the ferryman. As we 
were about shoving off, the man who ran the old ferry 
called to me not to attempt to cross wagons on that 
(the new) ferry; if I did, he would cut the rope and 
send me down the river; and suiting the action to the 
word, he caught up an ax and started at a run for the 
big Cottonwood tree where the rone was fastened. Wo 
were now in the stream and rapidly nearing the south 
bank. Standing on the front of the boat with pistol 
ready, I warned him to stop, and that if he attempted 
to cut the rope, I would surely kill him. 

The boat landed and he stopped within ten feet of 
the tree. I ordered him back to his boat, at the same 
time asking him what he meant. He declared that the 
Frenchman had no charter to run a boat, hence, no 
right, while he had a charter from the Territorial Leg- 
islature for fifteen years. On the other hand, the French- 
man claimed that the Delawares owned the land on the 
north side, and had just as much right to land on the 
south side without any charter as the other fellow had 
to land on the Delaware reservation, over which he claim- 
ed that the Legislature had no jurisdiction. I ended the 
controversy by telling the Frenchman to cross all the 
wagons he could, and that I would protect him. I told 




Major-General John Buford * 



*John Buford was born March 4, 1826, in Kentucky, and 
graduated from the Military Academy at West Point in 1848. 
He was then promoted brevet second lieutenant of the birst 



FI73 TEARS A DRAGOON. 233 

the old ferryman to get his boat in motion qnickly or 
I wonld run it with my men, and that the ferry which 
crossed the most wagons would get the most money. As 
to their quarrel, they could settle that before the courts 
or any other place — I knew nothing, nor did I care any- 
thing about their rights or the law; here were two fer- 
ries, and I was going to use them. I had the teamster 
of the first wagon drive close to the tree and told him to 
shoot any one attemntins: to approach it; and he, that 
same gentle, auiet, nervy "Bill" Curran, would have 

Dragoons, and the next year second lieutenant of the Second 
Dragoons. In 18 )3 he became first lieutenant, and in 1859 cap- 
tain of the same regiment, in 1861 he was appointed major in 
the Inspector General's Department, brigadier-general of Vol- 
unteers in 1862, and major-general of Volunteers on the 16th 
December, 1863. He died in Washington a few minutes after 
his major-general's commission was placed in his hand. 

There are no names upon its honor-roll in which the 
American cavalry feel a keener and a juster pride than in that 
of General Buford. He was an example to emulate from the 
beginning to the end of his brilliant but too short career. He 
died at the age of thirty-seven. ^ 

Prom the date of his graduation until the outbreak of 
the Civil War he was constantly and actitvely engaged with his 
regiment on the "Vestern frontier in various Indian wars, the 
Kansas disturbances, and the Utah expedition. As an in- 
spector he remained on duty about the defenses of Washing- 
ton during the first year of the war, but was then assigned to 
the duty his active spirit yearned for— the command of cavalry 
in campaign. He was severely wounded at the second battle 
of Bull Run, but in less than a month was back on duty as 
chief of cavalry in the Army of the Potomac in the Maryland 
campaign. A history of this cavalry is a history of Buford 
from the time he joined it till he was borne away from it to die 
of a brief illness. 

Buford chose the field for the battle of Gettysburg, and 
with his cavalry divison held back Heth's Confederate infantry 
division until General Reynolds arrived with his corps. The 
Union owes to him, more than to any other man, its victory at 
Gettysburg. 



234 ^I^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

done it if necessary. Then I got aboard the old ferry 
and gave the ferryman one more chance to rim his own 
boat, and just as I was about to let go, he and his man 
jumped on. He was sulky and threatened to report me 
to Colonel Cook at Lecompton. I cut him off short 

with the answer, that I did not care a what he 

did, so that he lost no time with the ferry; and I told 
Beery to push things with the new ferry, while I stayed 
with the old one. All worked with a will, but the old 
ferry lost two trips to start with, and in the end the 
new ferry had six wagons the most. All, more than 
seventy wagons, were crossed in time to camp south of 
town before dark, whereas without the new ferry half 
of them would have camped in the bottom north of 
the river. 

The next day, after finishing my business at the 
camp at Lecompton, I called at Colonel Cook's head- 
quarters, as I always did before leaving his camp, and 
there was the complaining ferryman. Having finished 

his business with me, the Colonel said that Mr. 

liad made serious charges against me. I asked what 
they were, and the Colonel told the man to state his 
case in my presence. He did so with a good deal of 
feeling, but substantially correct, and I so admitted. 
"Well, what did you do it for?" asked the Colonel se- 
verely. I then stated that being in charge of a train- 
load of supplies for troops in the field, some of whose 
rations and forage would be exhausted the next day, I 
came to a river where I had been in the habit of using 
the ferry, and found another one complete and ready 



FIYE YEARS A DRAGOON. 235 

for nse. Knowing nothing of any one's rights, and car- 
ing for nothing hut to nse all the means within my 
reach to get across with the least delay, I had nsed 
hoth ferries, and in doing so was ohliged to treat Mr. 

very harshly; and if he thought I wonld permit 

him to cnt the ferry-rope and send me sailing down the 
Kaw River he was mnch mistaken; and if he ever at- 
tempted it again, he wonld fare worse. "Well, what have 
yon to say to that?" asked the Colonel, turning to the 
ferryman. The man hristled a little in a lond voice, 

when the Colonel said. "Stop, sir, stop! Yon are a 

fool, and I will give yon this advice: never try snch a 
thing again on a good soldier. Mr. Lowe seems to know 
how to move trains to supply troops in the field — that 
is what he is emploved for." The man left, and the 
Colonel remarked that he did not think I wonld have 
any more tronhle with that fellow; to which I replied 
that I did not think he wonld ^Hoalk" again. This miade 
the Colonel smile, and ^^Dalk" hecame a hy-word among 
the officers, applied to any one who failed to move freely 
when told to do anvthing. 

I crossed many times afterwards, and each ferry 
worked its hest for the most money. The Frenchman 
generally captured the hest of it hy two or three wagons. 
The Frenchman kent the approach to his ferry in per- 
fect shape, so that there would he no delays, and the 
old ferryman kept up the competition — result, a great 
saving in time and talk. 

I saw John Brown hut once. He came walkinq- in- 
to Lawrence, looldng like a shaggy lunatic. The clasa 



236 ^I^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

of people who shouted for ^'Captain John Brown" were 
the negative characters, always ready to be mixed up 
with any kind of notoriety, though not amounting to 
anything themselves. The substantial, thinking portion 
of the populace looked on, shook their heads, and, il 
they expressed themselves at all, it was an expression 
of contempt for that class of neople. Brown was no 
hero among them, but was looked upon as a disturbing 
element. I never expected him to gain any resnectable 
notoriety, and he did not in the Kansas War; and if he 
had not made the Harper's Ferry raid and been exe- 
cuted therefor, he would soon have been forgotten, or re- 
membered only for his crimes. I do not know of one 
generous, manly, high-minded act that he did in Kansas, 
nor one for which he deserved honorable remembrance. 
On the other hand, his ranting lunacy and bad advice 
caused many murders on both sides. He was so wrapped 
up in the idea of the freedom of the slaves, that with 
others of like ilk he did not hesitate to steal negroes from 
their masters in Missouri, and this always justified him 
in stealing provisions for them to subsist upon, and trans- 
portation to carry them off. Many poor "darkies" were 
taken from homes against their better judgment through 
the persuasion and semi-coercion of the disturbing ele- 
ment who came to Kansas in the name of freedom, and 
made themselves notorious as border robbers and thieves. 
This element, with that which came from Missouri to 
carry the elections and override the will of the genuine 
settlers, together with the political adventurers, caused 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 237 

all the trouble. No better people ever settled a State 
than those who came to Kansas to make homes. 

A young man, well dressed and well mounted, rode 
one evening into my camp w^est of Little Stranger Creek, 
and told me of a terrible battle that had been fought be- 
tween Big Stranger and the home of Tonganoxie, a Dela- 
ware chief, about half-way between Leavenworth and 
Lawrence. Though he was not a participant in the bat- 
tle, he thought his information correct. He said I should 
find dead men scattered about in considerable numbers; 
that the Free State and Pro-Slavery forces iiad met there, 
etc. A few words about this young man. He took sup- 
per with me, fed his horse and slept in my tent, and after 
breakfast left for Leavenworth, promising to take my 
advice and leave Kansas, which he did; but after peace 
was declared he returned, went to Denver and Montana, 
came back, drifted into the cattle business, became a 
millionaire, raided a prominent family of worthy people, 
and died in Kansas City a few years ago. He was always 
thankful tliat he had kept away from Captain Miller^ ^ 
band of "})eace makers," allied himself with good men 
and led a good life. 

The next morning at a point twO' miles east of Ton- 
ganoxie's house, at a place now called Moore's Summit, 
after the Hon. Crawford Moore who owned a large tract 
of land there, I found lying in the road a dead man, about 
thirty years old, dressed like a respectable mechanic. He 
lay upon his back, pockets turned out as if he had been 
robbed, a small bunch of keys near his trousers pocket. 
He had been shot twice, the last time evidently after- he 



238 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

fell, in the top of his head. Evidently a nnmher of 
horses and men had been there, but after riding in a cir- 
cle a long distance round, I failed to find another body. 
Captain Sacket came along and had the body buried. I 
related the circumstance of finding the dead man, as I 
went through Lawrence, but no one knew who it was. 

On my return a man met me at the ferry on the Law- 
rence side, G. W. H. Golding by name, and stated that he 
and three others, Eoberts, Zimmerman and Brown (not 
John) had been driven out of Leavenworth on account of 
their open confession that they wanted Kansas to be a 
free State. Golding was a gunsmith, Eoberts a carpenter, 
Brown and Zimmerman other trades. All had worked at 
their respective trades and had not been mixed up in 
any difficulties. They had been notified to leave, and 
had started to walk to Lawrence. When near Tonga- 
noxie's house, a mounted company of fifty or more men 
made them prisioners. They told their story and were 
damned as Abolitionists. Everybody who wanted to live 
in a free State and wanted Kansas to be a free State 
for that reason, was denounced as an Abolitionist and a 
dangerous character. The percentage of Abolitionists 
among the Free State men was very small. The senti- 
ment of nearly all men from Northern States and many 
from Missouri and otlior Southern States, was in favor of 
making Kansas a free State. They did not care to meddle 
with slavery where it existed, but wanted the new State 
free, where they hoped to make homes, because they be- 
lieved it best for themselves and families. I met men 
from Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland who 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 239 

wanted Kansas to be free, and they were among the best 
settlers. 

The captain of the troop of rangers who captured 
these men did not want to be encumbered with them, 
and concluded to leave them, at Tonganoxie's house under 
guard, and four men volunteered to guard them. Tonga- 
noxie had gone off, as many others had, to remain away 
until the troubles were settled. These four guards with 
^heir prisoners took posisessdon of the house. About 
midnight they started under pretence of taking the pris- 
oners back to Leavenworth, but really to find an excuse 
for murdering and robbing them. The prisoners were 
required to walk, one on the right side of each of these 
mounted men, and at a signal all were shot at. Golding 
was shot near the left ear, the bullet ranging downward. 
He fell and bled profusely, but lay quiet, nearly choking 
to death with blood, for fear they ^ would shoot him 
again. The rufhans felt his pulse and one was about to 
shoot him again, when another said, "Don't waste your 
shots; no man ever bled that much and lived.'^ Eoberts 
struggled some and was shot again. Brown lay still; 
they felt his pulse and pounded him on the head with 
the butt of a gun. Zimmerman was pronounced dead. 
All were robbed (they had considerable money), the rob- 
bers riding off at a gallop. Golding supposed his com- 
panions dead, turned over and relieved himself of the 
blood in his throat, found that he could walk, and finally 
made his way through the prairie and timber, keeping 
off the road, and got to Lawrence. Hearing that I had 
found Eoberts and no others, made him hope that Brown 

16- 



240 ^I^E TEARS A DRAGOON. 

and Zimmermaii might have escaped as he did. It turned 
onit that Brown was not hit by the shoi, but fell and lay 
still, even holding his breath a long time^, and the onl;v 
injury was caused by the blows on the back of his head. 
He, too, thought his comrades dead and crept away; but 
he found that the blows on his head had so affected his 
eyes that he could scarcely see. In this condition he made 
his way to the Kaw River, living on green corn for several 
days, until he was found below Lawrence. I do not know 
what became of him. Zimmerman escaped badly wound- 
ed, but recovered. Golding wais the first Free State 
sheriff of Leavenworth County, and was a useful citizen 
and good officer. He settled in Labette County and 
died there in 1895. The above is all there was of the 
terrible battle described by my friend. 

To show the character of the four men who commit- 
ted this outrage, I happened to know one of them person- 
ally, and I suppose the others were of like makeup. Th^s 
one had been a, trapper up the Yellowstone, committed 
one or two murders up there, and had to get out of the 
country to keep from being killed by other trappers. I 
hired him to go to Fort Riley in 1855 and discharged 
him on the road. He returned to Leavenworth and 
opened up a headquarters for toughs, his apparent busi- 
ness being that of a saloon keeper. Many men told me 
that it was only a question of time when he would kill 
me, if he got a chance. Everybody went armed, and, of 
course, I was not behind others in having good arms and 
being prepared to use them. One thing I was pretty 
safe on, I did not visit the town or tough places at night, 



J^IYE TEARS A DRAGOON. 241 

and never feared that any man would assassinate me face 
to face. He might waylay me, bnt that was hard to do 
in broad daylight, with a man who was always sober and 
aecustomed to care for himself. But his threats caused 
me to keep the run of him. One day I met him at the 
corner of Main and Shawnee Streets; I was going north, 
as he came round the corner and turned south with a rifle 
on his shoulder. I stepped to the edge of the walk, drew 
my pistol quickly and motioned him to continue on south, 
which he did. Neither spoke. When he got to Dela- 
ware Street, he turned west, and I went on north to 
where my horse was hitched and rode to the Fort. I 
never saw him afterwards, but heard the next day that 
he had joined one of the companies of "peace makers." 

In the fall, soon after peace arrangements at Le- 
compton, which destroyed all the business of irresponsi- 
ble "peace makers," a promiscuous lot of men were as- 
sembled in a saloon in Leavenworth, some drinking, 
some playing cards, talking over the past, conjecturing 
the future, etc. My "friend" was of the number — swag- 
gering, swearing and bragging — telling of his prowess, 
and among other outrages he bragged of killing Eoberts. 
"I did not let my man escape," said he. Some Georgians 
present had come to Kansas to settle, not to steal or rob, 
but to settle — preferably to make Kansas a slave State, 
but to settle any way and make the best of it. In the 
meantime some of them had become so disgusted with 
the so-called "Pro-Slavery" gangs, as represented by the 
"peace makers" above referred to and the crowds that 
came over from Missouri to carry the elections, that they 



242 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

leaned towards the Free State party as representing the 
better element, and finally some of them concluded to 
and did act with that party. One of these Greorgians, 
who had been much disappointed and disgusted, now 
slightly under the influence of liquor, sprang to his feet, 
rifle in hand, faced the big ruffian and spoke, as reported 
to me, about as follows: '^You scoundrel! you thief! 
you characterless murderer! You who had nothing at 
stake, neither character, home, friends, nor hope for the 
future, you and others like you have roamed this country 
to our disgrace and the destruction of all that we hoped 
to build. By murder, arson and robbery you have made 
us a stench in the nostrils of all decent men. I am going 
back to Georgia, but for the sake of my comrades who 
must stay here and struggle for a living, I am going to 
kill you, so die, damn you, die!^^ And he shot the ruffian 
dead. 

During the Georgian's speech the ruffian had braced 
himself up, fumbled his pistol and acted as if he was go- 
ing to use it, but the Georgian had the "drop" and would 
have killed him any instance that he thought it neces- 
sary. A friend of mine who was present told me this 
two hours after in my camp fifteen miles away, and of the 
scenes and incidents previous to and following the killing. 
The Georgian's speech caused a sensation, not only among 
the tough element, who thinned out a good deal after- 
wards, but among the better element who had looked 
with suspicion upon all Southerners who came to make 
Kansas a slave State. Gradually it dawned upon them 
that there were good men of the Pro-Slavery party who 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 243 

would fall into line and work for Kansas anyway, build 
homes and be good citizens. But the Georgian who 
did the killing did not return home, but found Gov- 
ernment employment, went with me on the Cheyenne Ex- 
pedition in 1857, to Utah in 1858, where I left him, and 
thence to California. Frugal, industrious and honest, he 
made all good men respect him. Two of the other Geor- 
gians who were in the room when the killing was done, 
worked for me in Government business more than two 
years, saved their money, and made homes in Kansas. 
Better men it would be hard to find. 

At Lawrence, one of my first acquaintances was Ly- 
man Allen. He was in the stove and hardware business, 
a genial, companionable man. After crossing the ferries, 
I always went to his office to write my certificate on which 
the ferry-men collected their pay from the quartermaster 
at Fort Leavenworth. So that every tune I passed 
through there, going or coming, I saw him. A few days 
after peace was patched up at Lecompton, I met Govern- 
or Charles Robinson in Allen's office. I had seen him 
frequently as a prisoner at Colonel Cook's camp at Le- 
compton, but now made his acquaintance for the first 
time. Having some leisure, and the Governor seeming 
to want to talk with me, I remained in conversation with 
him and Mr. Allen until two distinguished leaders of the 
Pro-Slavery party came in and introduced themselves to 
the Governor, who introduced them to Mr. Allen and me. 
They talked a little, evidently without any very congenial 
feeling on either side, and treated each other courteously 
for a few minutes, when the visitors rose to go. After 



244 ^^^^ TEARS A DkAGOON. 

shaking hands reservedly all aronnd, one of them turned 
to the Governor and said that he had lost a negro man, 
and had reason to believe he was in Lawrence — he had the 
man in camp during the campaign and some one had stol- 
en him. He asked the Governor if he had heard of such 
a maU;, describing him, to which the Governor replied 
that he had not. The other man said: "Well, if the 
nigger does come under your notice, I wish you would 
try to save him for me/' to which the Governor replied: 
"Well, if I see him.'' And the gentlemen were off. 
After they went out the Governor turned to me and said, 
that he had been informed that each of these two men 
had declared that they would shoot him on sight, "And 
now," said he, "they come in here to inquire after a run- 
away negTO, and while both are armed and I am not, 
neither acts as if inclined to shoot." These men, then 
young, were among the wealthiest in Platte and Buchan- 
an Counties, in Missouri; both were Union men during 
the War of the Rebellion, one was a colonel, several terms 
a congressman, and died a congressman from the St. Joe 
district in Missouri — one of the ablest men from that or 
any other State. And so the change referred to by Gov- 
ernor Eobinson was not so great, in the light of what fol- 
lowed. When Robinson became governor he made his 
friend Lyman Allen Adjutant General of the State. 

Lieutenant Stuart, acting commissiary officer at Fort 
Leavenworth, found himself with 400 work oxen on hand 
in the fall of 1856, turned over to him by the quarter- 
master to be fed for beef. He employed me to take them 
to Platte County, locate them, buy feed for them, etc.. 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



245 



and I was transferred to the commissary department for 
that purpose. I placed them on the farm of Mr. Daniel 
Carey, near which I had been the winter before. In the 
spring of 1857 the oxen were very fat. I had spent a 
pleasant winter with nice people, and the last of April I 
returned the cattle to Salt Creek Valley, transferred 
back to the quartermaster's department 



>*y 




PART VH. 

J HE 1st of May^ 1857, I was placed in charge of 
transportation for the Cheyenne expeditio>n, to 
be commanded by Colonel E. V. Sumner, First Cavalry, 
with Lieutenant J. E. B. Stuart, quartermaster and com- 
missary of the expedition. It was at Lieutenant Stuart's 
request that I was detailed for this duty. 

After the necessiiry preparations for the long cam- 
paign. Major Sedgwick, with four troops of the First Cav- 
alry (now Fourth), five Delaware Indian scouts and forty 
six-mule teams, Mr. ^'Nick'^ Berry as chief wagonmaster, 
was to go up the Arkansas by the Sante Fe route to 
about where now stands Pueblo, then strike across to 
where is now Denver, and down the South PLatte to Fort 
St. Vrain, where it was expected he would arrive on or 
al)out the 4th of July. Colonel Sumner, with two 
troops of his regiment (First Cavalry) would proceed to 
Fort Kearney, where he would be joined by two troops of 
the Second Dragoons (now Second Cavalry), and thence 
to Fort Laramie, where three companies of the Sixth In- 
fantry would join him. At Laramie he would take pro- 
visions for his whole commamd, including Major Sedg- 
wick's, up to the end of July. Major Sedgwick's column 
started on the 17th of May; on the 18th and 19th we 
loaded Colonel Sumner's train, and at 8 :00 a. m. on the 
20th the column moved out, cavalry in advance. 

246 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



247 



The transportiation consisted of the Coloiie?s four- 
mule ambulance^ fifty wagons (six-mule teams) and twen- 
ty extra mules. Traveled eighteen miles and camped on 



Stranger Creek. 




Percival G. Lowe. 



Without incident worthy of note, the command 
camped near Fort Kearney June 4th, Captain Wharton, 
Sixth Infantry, commanding; drew forage and provis- 



248 FI'^E lEARS A DRAaOON. 

ions to last to Fort Laramie. TVo troops of the Second 
Dragoons joined hero, Lieutenant Smith in command of 
Troop E and Lientenant Yilipigne of Troop H. Lien- 
tenant Higgins, Sixth Infantry, also joined with 100 
recruits for Companies B, C, D and Gr, Sixth Infantry, 
at Laramie. Colonel Sumner employed five Pawnee 
scouts, "Speck-in-the-Eye'' chief of the band, and ten 
wagons were added to the train. 

June 6th. Command left Kearney, and without in- 
cident of importance camped four miles below Beauvais' 
Crossing of South Platte June 13th. 

June 14th. Commfeind lying by; thankful for this. 
It gives men a chance to clean up, and men and animals 
a rest. Threw covers off every wagon and let in the sun 
to dry out dampness sure to accumulate. 

Lieutenant Stuart resigned as Acting Quartermaster 
and Commissarv June 1st, and Lieutenant K. H. Riddick 
succeeded him. 

June 15. Leaving trains in charge of one wagon- 
master, I took the others and assistants with me at 5 
o'clock and rode to the crossing. The river was very 
high, banks full, and just half a mile by measurement 
from bank to bank; current three to four miLes an hour; 
usually half the width was bare sand-bars, but now all 
was covered with water; it is the "June rise." Large 
numbers of emigrants waiting for river to get lower. 
On account of the melting snow in the mountains, they 
may have to wait a long time. I pointed out the land- 
ing on the north side; told Eskridge, who had quick 
perception and a clear head, to remain on the south 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 249 

bank and direct me step by step in case I got to drift- 
ing down. The others followed a short distance apart. 
The bottom was very uneverij sometimes a foot deep, 
suddenly becoming two, three, and in a few places, four 
feet deep. The changes were sudden, as often three 
feet as one, but mostly two or three. On a small island 
just above the crossing on the north side grew many 
tall, slim willows; we each cut ^several, ten or twelve 
feet long, and trimmed them so as to leave a few leaves 
on the top. Each took several of these long switches. 
Standing on the north bank, I directed them straight 
to Eslvridge. In the shallowest water, where the cur- 
rent would have little force, a switch was stuck deep 
in the quicksand. By a tedious struggle we got a straight 
line from bank to bank. 

Along came the cavalry, and I explained to Colonel 
Sumner and the QuaTtermaster that if they would keep 
close up to the line of willows, they would beat down and 
level the quicksand bottom so as to improve the cross- 
ing for the wagons. The Colonel knew this very well, 
as he had been here in 1850, though, he said, the water 
was not then high. I volunteered to show the way and 
rode in ahead. The head of the column kept up fairly 
well but some men a few files back had trouble, drifted, 
and before the north bank was reached the column was 
a rainbow — the center 300 yards below the direct line — 
many horses floundering in the quicksand and several 
men nearly drowned. For a wonder all got out, but my 
road-bed was not benefited. However, experience had 
shown me that there could be no helter-shelter hurrying. 



250 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

and the chance of losing some mules, wagons, and pos- 
sibly men was very good. That tumbling, boiling caul- 
dron of sand and water was dangerous for the strongest 
and most experienced men with teams. Be it remem- 
bered that the man, horse or wagon standing still will 
soon sink in the sand; one must keep moving constantly 
or sink; a blockade of wagons meant the loss of some. 
I asked the Colonel and Quartermaster if they had any 
instructions or directions to give me. The Colonel said, 
"Be very careful," and left me to work it out my own 
way. The company teams were looked after well under 
the instructions of officers and non-commissioned offi- 
cers interested, and there was no friction, each team fol- 
lowing in turn, all cheerfully helping. In addition to 
the wagonmasters I had a dozen teamsters on their sad- 
dle-mules strung along the crossing ready to help. A strap 
or rope tied to the bridle of the lead mule was held by a 
mounted man starting in ahead of the team, while one 
or two more mounted men rode at the lower (off) side 
to whip up the mules and keep them from drifting down, 
and the teamster on his saddle-mule did the best he 
could to keep moving. In this way the first wagon got 
safely over. 

Each wagon master and mounted teamster under- 
standing his part of the programme, the wagons were 
started in about fifty yards apart, care being taken to 
have no more than half a dozen in the river at the same 
time. Most of the teams had more or less trouble, 
causing outriders to get off into the water to help out, 
so that all clothing was soon wet through. The day was 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 251 

dark and cloudy, the water cold from snow-clad moun- 
tains and the north wind cold, and all suffered much. 
As soon as a team was over, the teamster unhitched his 
saddle-mule and came hack to help. Half the teams were 
safely over when the oldest wagonmaster started in 
with a wagon for the first time. It was the lightest 
loaded, and it seems that he thought it would go over 
easily, and it would, with good management. It was 
the hospital wagon, containing all medicines for the com- 
mand. In the middle of the stream, the team tangled 
up. the leaders swung round and the saddle - mule 
sank in the sand and got under the tongue, the lower 
(off) wheels sank, and the wagon rolled over in the deep- 
est water. The hoy who drove the team, eighteen years 
old, was trying to extricate himself from his saddle-mule 
and crying for help. The man on the lower side could 
not reach him and the wagonmaster sat on his horse 
like a wooden man. I was fiftv yards away, but put 
■purs to my horse and reached the hoy in time to keep 
/lim from going under the tongue with the saddle-mule, 
which drowned. The men cut the harness from the 
other mules, and they found their way out. I took the 
hoy on behind me, rode to the north shore, and he was 
soon made comfortable by his comrades. 

At last all but one of the wagons were over — one 
mule, wagon and medical stores lost. And now, with 
plenty of mounted men we crossed the beef herd with 
little difficulty. I did not hear a complaint then or ever 
afterwards about the management. No one interfered 
with me from first to last. For my part, with some 



252 ^I^^J^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

others, I had been in the cold river, mounted and dis- 
mounted, more than six hours; others had been in three, 
four or five hours; all at least one or two hoi;rs. About 
two infantry recruits climbed into each wagon and were 
the only ones who got over dry, except a few of the cav- 
alry. Fortunately none were in the hospital wagon. 

As soon as the last wagon was over, the cavalry 
column moved out. Lieutenant Stuart^s servant came 
with the Lieutenant's compliments and presented me 
with a fine hat; Stuart had gotten it out of his trunk 
when he saw me lose mine in saving the boy. My ever 
present bandana was tied on my head. 

Lieutenant Eiddick said we were going six miles 
to some water hole; we found the holes but no water. 
Water kegs contained enough for cooking purposes and 
to drink, and there were buffalo chips enough to make 
coffee and heat water for whiskey toddies, but no fire 
for the benumbed, worn-out men to warm themselves 
and dry their clothes by that dreary, miserable day. I 
had a few bottles of fine whiskey which had not been 
touched since I left Fort Ijeavenworth, and now I gave 
it all out in small doses to the men. I insisted on every 
man changing his clothing, and with coffee and plenty 
to eat, it was surprising how cheerful all were. My 
drowned boy had been well cared for, laid away in blank- 
ets, and was all right. 

That boy's name was Hayes, a German of Leaven- 
worth, and when he returned home with one arm, at 
the close of the Civil War, he came to see mie. He be- 
came a prosperous farmer in Jefferson County, Kansas — 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 253 

a good soldier and citizen. The Colonel sent for me and 
seemed well pleased at the manner in which the crossing 
was effected^ and when I expressed impatience at the 
loss of the wagon and medical stores, he said he thought 
I should be well satisfied. He made me feel a little 
more reconciled to the unnecessary loss. 

June 22d. We reached Fort Laramie, and camped 
one and one-half miles above on the south side of Lar- 
amie Eiver. Orders were received by Colonel Sumner 
for E and H T'roops, Second Dragoons, to be ready to 
go with General Harney to Utah, so that they are no 
longer a part cf the Cheyenne expedition. 

23d. Everybody getting ready for the Cheyenne 
campaign. This is the last chance for any sort of out- 
fit until it is over. Mr. Seth E. Ward, the sutler here, 
has a good stock of campaign goods. Fitting out more 
teams, having mules^ shoes fitted, drawing provisions, 
forage, etc. Laramie probably presents a busier scene 
than ever before in its history. We left Fort Leaven- 
worth with about 300 fat oxen, had been killing some 
from day to day for beef, and to-day we drew 150 more 
from the Commissary. We have not seen a buffalo 
since leaving Freemont's Spring. The Colonel employed 
two guides — one a mo'untaineer white man, the other a 
Mexican. 

27th. Three companies of the Sixth Infantry, un- 
der Captain Ketchum — his G, Lieutenant Carlin's D, and 
Captain Foote's C, marched from Laramie at 8 o'clock, 
passed our camp with the guides and Pawnees — trains 
following. Gradual rise eight miles south to top of 



254 ^^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

steep, rocky hill; an hour going down 500 yards; crossed 
and camped on Cherry Creek at north side of ^^Coshen^s 
Hole/' This "Goshen's Hole'' is a level plain thirty 
miles across from north to south, and is said to be the 
hottest place this side of the home of Dives, and, except 
at the extreme south and north ends, about as dry. 

28th. Infantry and Pawnees marched at 6:00; cav- 
alry and train at 7:00, eighteen miles over flat plain, 
the sun shining on the light sandy ground, creating such 
intense light and heat that men and animals suffered 
much — blinding heat without a breath of air. Our camp 
on Box Elder looked like an old apple orchard minus 
the fruit. Scattering box-elders and good grass made 
as lovely a camp as one could expect without a drop of 
water. Water kegs were full and cooking went on all 
right, but the poor horses and mules were great suffer- 
ers. The white guide said that the water always sank 
in the sand during a hot day, but there would be a good 
running stream at 11:00 p. m. In sympathy with my 
part of the caravan, by permission of the Colonel and 
Quartermaster, I told the herders to turn the mules up 
the creek towiards a high point of bluff a mile away. The 
horses occupied all the shade near camp except that 
monopolized by the men, and I saw nothing but hours 
of suffering with stifling heat for the mules before the 
broiling sun would go down. It was the hottest place 
I have ever seen without artiflcial heat. Horses stood 
at the lariats and chewed the grass they were unable to 
swallow, and spat it out. 

Taking some pieces of ^Tiard tack" to nibble on, 1 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 255 

mounted my horse, and with "Billyh' Lowe, a Cincinnati 
youth, who, w4th his brother, was roughing it for ad- 
venture, I leisurely drifted off ahead of the herd. Ar- 
rived at the point of bluff I noticed under the north 
side, where the sun had not struck since early morning, 
a, trickline stream which ran into the sand twenty feet 
away. Then I began to hunt up the creek, the water 
increasing as I went. Two miles from camp the bluffs 
were high and brush and trees shaded the creek-bed, and 
our animals drank comfortablv. Half a mile further I 
found a long hole worn in the sand-stone and a good 
stream running into it, but disappearing in the hot sand 
within two hundred yards. I wrote on a leaf of my 
memorandum book to Lieutenant Eiddick, telling him 
that if the Colonel would permit the mules to be driven 
three miles from camp, they could get plentv of water, 
and could graze leisurely back before tile sun set; also, 
that there would be plenty of water for the cavalry 
horses. I told "Billy" to deliver the note to Lieutenant 
Eiddick as quickly as possible. It was now 2 o'clock. 
With my glass, from a high point, I could see the camp 
and the mules. In less than an hour I saw the mules 
moving towards me, and as they came towards the water 
and smelt it, they struck a trot and finally a stampede, 
and such braying from four hundred mules I never heard 
before or since. The bluffs resounded with their music 
until their noses were buried in the lovely stream. 

And now a column of dust indicated that the cav- 
alry were coming; I showed them some nice holes above 
the mules. There was great rejoicing over the water, 

17- 



256 FIVE YEAK8 A DRAGOON- 

Captain W. N. R, Beall said to me, "Are you the guide 
of this command ?'' I replied that I was not, but, that 
if I were I should know what was in the country or try 
to find out; I had no use for guides who could only fol- 
low a trail and knew nothing of the surroundings; any- 
body could follow a trail without a guide. When I re- 
ported to the Colonel at sunset, he seemed greatly 
pleased, and questioned me about how I thought of look- 
ing for water. I thought of it as a matter of course, 
but admitted that it was an accident. 

29th. Infantry off at 6:00, cavalry and trains at 
7:00, ten miles and watered at Willow Creek; three more 
to pass through high bluff, the outlet from "Groshen's 
Hole"; four hours getting train up the hill and through 
the pass, half a mile — ^steep quicksand hill; three more, 
and camped on Bear Creek at 7 :00 o'clock. Fine camp, 
but everybody and everything too tired to enjoy it. 

30th. Off as usual, one mile to a branch of Bear 
River. This small stream, ten feet across, had by recent 
rains been made a bog one hundred yards wide. The 
slough grass was as high as a mairs head, and one could 
cut with a butcher-knife an armful a minute. All sol- 
diers and teamsters had butcher-knives. Cavalry dis- 
mounted and all cut grass, and a causeway was soon 
made. It seemed a huge job to cut with butcher-knives 
sufficient grass to causeway one hundred yards of bog. 
All took hold in good shape and we crossed without ac- 
cident, greatlv to the surprise of officers and men, to 
whom this causewaying with g-rass was a new thing. 



r ; FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 257 

Seventeen miles more, crossing five branches of Horse 
Creek, and camped at 4 p. ni. on Mud Creek. 

July 1st. Off as usual. Looking from a hill at tho 
course the guides were taking the infantry, I suggested 
another course for the wagons. I could see with my 
glass a smooth plain that would save trouble. The Col- 
onel said, "Well, go ahead,'^ and I did, he following 
with his ambulance. Captain Beall said that we saved 
two miles. These guides have no idea of a wagon-road; 
they have been following Indian trails on ponies, and 
do not know ver\" much about them. Eighteen miles 
over a hard gravel road and crossed Pole Creek. This i^ 
called "Pole Creek'^ because the Indians o^et laro^e nuui- 
bers of lodge-poles near the head of it in the mountains. 
Four miles more and camped ou big "Mud Creek'^; heavy 
rain-storm in the night. 

3d. We have a Initcher named ^mitli who has 
cliarge of the cattle herd. He never was on the plains 
before, and imagines that he can handle cattle here as 
he could on his fathers farm in Rhode Island. I cau- 
tioned him to have his Mexican herders on the alert 
daring the storm for fear of a stampede. This morning 
he came in greatly distressed and swore there- "Wasn't 
a critter in sight.^^ And sure enough, with the excep- 
tion of one cow owned by him and one lame beef, there 
was not a horned "critter in sight.^' Fortunately for 
our command, Quartermaster Sergeant Clark, who was 
commissary clerk, and my mess mate since leaving 
J^eaveiivortli, overtook utj abont !<> (/clock with all the 



258 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

cattle, having found them ten miles from camp, nearly 
in the direction of our line of march. Off as usual, ten 
miles to main branch of Crow Creek; road muddy and 
bad from last night's rains; ten miles more, and camped 
on south side of slough, which delayed us three hours 
in causewaying with grass. Good many mules gave out 
to-day. , 

3d. Off as usual, one and one-half miles to slough 
that occupied two hours in crossing, with assistance of 
cavalry and plenty of slough-grass. Six miles, and struck 
spring branch of Crow Creek — four more to crossing. 
Much time spent in crossing nine wagons, and Captaiii 
Beall found a good crossing half a mile below. This 
shows the worthlessness of the guide. Here the Colonel 
called me, and said, that by the guide's estimate it w-is 
eight miles to where we will camp to-night, twelve more 
to crossing of South Platte below the mouth of Powder 
Eiver, and thirteen more to Fort St. Yrain, where he 
wanted to meet Major Sedgwick the next day; that is 
twenty-five miles by the usual trail from to-night's camp 
to St. Yrain, besides crossing the river. The guide also 
says, that if we could go direct from to-night's camp 
to St. A^rain, it would be only twenty miles, and cross- 
ing at St. Vrain much better than below the mouth of 
Powder Eiver. Ouide thinks the route practicable. So 
far I had not been im]n-essed by anything the guide had 
done — if he had given anv valuable information it had 
not come to me notice; so I told the Colonel that the 
guide's statement could be easily verified — that I would 



t'iVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 259 

ride that twenty miles to St. Vrain, and back to his camp 
before starting-time in the mornings and then there woukl 
be no uncertainty about it. ^'AIl right," said the Colonel, 
"take both guides and any others that you want with 
you." I took with me Simeon Kouth, a teamster in 
whom I had confidence, soon overtook the infantry, and 
got both guides, and struck out west towards the moun- 
tains at 3 o'clock. In referring to the guide, I mean the 
white man — the Mexican talked little English and kept 
quiet. The guide pointed out what he called "Soutli 
Fork Peaks," and said that St. Vrain lay in a direct line 
between us and them, and we traveled straight as yo>- 
sible towards them. 

We first came in sight of the Rocky Mountains ai 
Scott^s Bluffs, forty-six miles east of Laramie, Laramie 
Peak being the only spur then in sight. Since leaving 
Laramie we have been traveling nearly south and about 
parallel with the main chain, which now we estimate to 
be about forty miles distant. Over nearly level plain we 
went — walk, trot, gallop — pushing along at an average 
of six miles or more an hour. We have been traveling 
a little up grade, and at 5 o'clock, as we reached high 
ground, we could see the timbers of Powder Eiver in tho 
distance. The afternoon was lovely and the scene be- 
fore us beautiful beyond description — vivid lightning, 
clouds and rain — storms on various peaks along the snow- 
capped range could be seen far Ijeyond the sound of 
thunder, the sun shining brightly on tempest, peak and 
plain, the scenes changing with the rapidity of a kaleido- 



260 i^^yj"^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

scope. At last we are on the bank of Powder Eiver at 
7 o^clock, certainly twenty - five miles from where we 
started, and I do not know' how much farther to St. 
Vrain; and it makes little difference. The river is a 
raging torrent, overflowing its hanks from ten to twenty 
feet deep, from the effects O'f rains at its source, whicli 
we have been viewing all along. This settles the ques- 
tion about going that Avay, and, as I concluded. then and 
have since proved, not a mile could have been saved by 
going that way — ^another damper on the guide's knowl- 
edge of the country. Ttoops and trains would have trav- 
eled over an untrodden plain half covered with cactus 
— one mile worse than two over a partially beaten track. 
For half an hour, with my glass I watched the glittering 
rays of the setting sun upon clouds, storms and white- 
capped peaks; I might never view such a sight again, 
and, though I have seen much of the magnificent range 
since, to me nothing has ever equaled that view. 

I do not want to retrace the twenty-five miles to 
camp, and the guide says it is but twelve miles tO' the 
Phitte below the mouth of the Cache le Poudre. So that, 
miserable as the prospect is, we will camp here. Our 
horses are tormented witli mosquitoes that rise from the 
thick grass and cover tliem all over, so we fill canteeur; 
and betake ourselves to a hill half a mile from the river, 
but they follow. The animals are hobl)led, fuel is 
brought, and in a few minutes we have a fire, ]>ile on 
green grass and make a big smoke, to which all animals 
— biped and quadru]>ed — como for protection. Ench 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON'- 261 

man puts his slice of meat on a stick and broils it while 
seated in the smoke. Armijo^ the Mexican gnide^ has a 
coffee pot and some coffee — each one has a few pieces 
of "hard tack/' and we feast. Having both guides, I 
determined to send one back to Colonel Sumner, and 
wrote the following note: 

"Camp on Cache le Poudre, 
"July 3, 1857, 10 p. m. 

"To Colonel E. V. Sumner, Commanding Cheyenne Expe- 
dition, Camp on Crow Creel": 

"Colonel: — On leaving you I traveled due west about 
twenty-five miles over a fairly level country and arrived 
here at T o'clock. Found the water from ten to twentv 
feet deep and storms in the mountains indicate that it 
will continue so, rendering this route impracticable for 
the train. I will meet you on the South Fork of Platte 
to-morrow. I send Armijo with instructions to be in 
your camp by sunrise. 

"I am. Colonel, very respectfully, 

"P. G. Lower 

Armijo saddled his horse and with rifle across the 
pommel said "Adios, Seiior,'- and was gone. Before he 
left camp we all agreed upon a star that he should fol- 
low, believing that that course would take him close to 
Colonel Sumner's camp. We kept up the smoke; the- 
night was cool, and by midnight the mosquitoes haJ 
settled down into the grass and there was peace for man 
and beast. 



262 ^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

4th. Coffee, small piece of meat and "hard tack" 
made our breakfast, and at 5 o'clock we started down 
stream. Arrived at usual crossing of South Platte be- 
low the mouth of Cache le Poudre at 8 :00. Unsaddled 
and let horses graze while we rested an hour. Then I 
proposed to trj the crossing, but the guide said, "^'No, 
it is impracticable." Eouth was willing to try it, but 
I would not permit it with his mule. Divesting myself 
of everything except underclothes, and with nothing on 
my horse but myself and a bridle, I felt my way into 
the river cautiously, and was half way over without much 
trouble. Then my horse had a hard struggle in deep 
water and quicksand, being hard pressed for some time 
to keep his head above water, but he took it quietly, 
rested when he could, and finally landed safely. I took 
the bit from his mouth and let him graze for half an 
hour while I fought mosquitoes with s^^':itches, and then 
we recrossed with the same difficulty. Our wagons can- 
not cross here at this time. The guide said : "You 11 
take the advice of a guide next time." Feeling nettled 
at what I conceived to be his utter uselessness, I admon- 
ished him that guides and other employees were sup- 
posed to furnish information to the commanding olTicer, 
and if not, I could see no use for them. The dust of 
the command is visible fcnr miles away. I selected a 
camp a mile lower down and rode out to meet the Col- 
onel, who was in his ambulance in advance. He said 
that Armijo reached him in time. He was anxious to 
know about the crossing, and I was able to tell him. 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 



263 



and he went into the camp that I had selected. Our 
battery was manned and salute fired just as we heard 
S e d g wick's ^ 

guns up the 
river on the 
other side. 

Some n 3 
cried, "A 
horseman on 
the south 
side of the 
river V^ and all 
rushed for a 
sight of him. 
After long 
exertion, ev- 
eryone having 
given him up 
for lost half 
a dozen times, 
the horseman 
emerged from 
the river, and 
nroved to be Major-General John Sedgwick. 

"Fall Leaf,^^ one of the Delaware Indian guides, from 
^lajor Sedgwick. He brought a letter from the Major 
to the Colonel, who sent "Fall Leaf^^ back with an answer, 
requesting the Major to move down opposite to him to- 
morrow. Overcome by excitement and fatigue, and the 
effects of a good dinner, I retired to mv tent and was soon 




264 ^^^^ YEAR8 A t)RAQ00if' 

fast asleep. But, alas! ""there is no rest for the wicked." 
1 was soon iiroused by the alarming cry of "Stampede!^' 
oft repeated. TVenty steps from my tent stood my 
horse (Ben). Always after coming into camp he was 
saddled and ready to mount. (I always rode a mule 
during the day.) This time I had left the saddle oil* 
to give him a rest and had him picketed so that he couhl 
graze. I mounted without saddle or bridle, put the 
lariat in his mouth to guide him, dropped the picke! 
pin, and was soon three miles back on the road with 
the horses and mules headed toward camp. Others 
came promptly, and every animal was safe. A few cav- 
alry horses stampeded "and ran among the mules., which 
were being herded. T\vo or three horses were hurt by 
picket pins, but (no other damage. 

5th. While at lyreakfast Lieutenant liiddiek came 
and said we were to try to cross the river, therefore 
three metalic water-tight wagon Ijeds, tools to work 
with, etc., were needed at the river. These, with six 
coils of rope, wheelwright, blacksmith, etc., were soon 
therCr The Colonel and his adjutant, Lieutenant Colburn. 
and Lieutenant Eiddick were the only officers who par- 
ticipated in the work. A strong detail of men was made 
from each troop and compa.ny. I was not supposed to 
work anv of my men unless asked to, and I was glad 
not to be called upon. The first thing was to stretch 
a rope from the north shore to an island in mid-river. 
'J'he water was over a man's head iii some places and 
current strong. The thT-ee metallic wagon beds were 



nVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 265 

to be lashed together and the raft so made attached bv 
two pulleys to a rope at each end and pnlled over by 
men on the raft. After a long, hard struggle, wading, 
swimming and pulling, exposed to the hot sun when nor 
under water, they succeeded by noon in getting a ro])i' 
stretched to the island and two wagon-beds in position 
to use, but the other one s^ot away and floated down 
the river. 

While three men were working with the rope in 
mid-rivel% they lost their hold, and, being .exhausted, one 
of them drowned, while the other two barely escaped. 
One of them caught overhanging willows at the island 
with his left hand, and reached l>ack with his right and 
caught the hand of his comrade, and held on until th(^ 
men on shore pulled them out. They were cavalrymen 
of the best type. Fifty men saw this fine young soldier, 
Daugherty by name, go down to death, with no power to 
assist him, in that stream of yellow sand and water, and 
V.is loss caused deep regret. 

Major Sedgwick's command camped opposite to us. 
At 5 o'clock the Colonel gave orders to take tools to 
camp, including ropes, indicating that the effort to cross 
here was abandoned. 

6th. Two commands moved down the river on op- 
posite sides, eighteen miles, and camped on river. Lieu- 
tenants Lomax and Bayard crossed over from Major 
Sedgwick's to Colonel Sumner's camp. The river is wid- 
er and shallower here, and current not so swift. Major 
Sedgwick having exhausted most of his forage and pro- 



266 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOOi^' 

visions, his wagons are nearly empty, and he will cross to 
our camp. 

7tb. Major Sedgwick^s four troops crossed with 
little difficulty. With my wagonmasters and & number of 
good .teamsters mounted on saddle mules, we helped 
Beery's trains over without serious accident. Mr. Beery 
brought my metallic wagon-bed, lost yesterday, which he 
found on a sand-bar. Colonel Sumner calls this "Camp 
Buchanan," in honor of the President. This evening 
orders are out, dated "Camp Buchanan, July 7, 1857," 
in which we are informed that pack a,nd riding mules 
must be made ready to accompany the six troops of cav- 
alry and three companies of infantry in pursuit of the 
hostile Cheyennes. Pending the campaign, the train is 
to return to Fort Laramie, be refitted and loaded with 
provisions and forage, to meet the command at some 
time and place not named in the order. 

8th, Centrally located is the blacksmith shop, under 
awnings of wagoiu covers, supported by poles, with port- 
able anvil, bellows, etc., soon in full blast. Small coal 
pit burned during the night, and another being made 
ready; saddler shop near by under similar awnings, trying 
to make pack-saddles of all sorts of old wagoai saddle- 
trees found at Laramie. We found but few real pack- 
sad (Ues there, and brought none from Leavenworth. 
C^arpenter and helpers are fitting panniers — everybody 
busy doing the best under the circumstances. 

9th. Selected mules, taking care to use those that 
are broken to ride, including saddle mules belonging to 
teams, and the teamsters are breaking others. Except 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 267 

a few Mexicans, I have not a man Vho is a practical pack- 
er; amoing the soldiers there are none. With the Mexi- 
cans I established a sort of school, but they are hardly 
able to impart to others what they know themselves ; how- 
ever, they are much help to the officers, who want a few 
men instrncted. 

10th, llth and 12th. To sum up: One hundred 
and eighty pack and riding mules, 170 blind bridles, 
and all saddles and saddle blankets belonging to train 
turned over to Lieutenant Wheaton, acting quartermaster 
and commissary of the expeditioin. 

13th. With best six-mule teams I could rig up, 
crossed the packs and infantry to south side of river with- 
out accident, and returned to camp. Before parting, 
the Colonel complimented me on the good work done, 
told me what he expected in future, and as he shook my 
hand, said that my pay had been increased twenty-five 
dollars per month from the first of June. I was to re- 
turn to Laramie, 150 miles, turn in all surplus wagons 
and harness, refit the train, and make as many six-mule 
teams as I could, load the wagons with corn and commis- 
saries, and meet him at Beauvais' Crossing of South 
Platte, where we crossed coming out, by the first of Aug- 
ust, 175 miles from Laramie. 

And now the "good-byes'' are said and the command 
is gone. Lieutenant Riddick is left acting commissary 
and quartermaster of the train and in command of about 
fifty men on their first campaign, who, having bunged up 
their horses or themselves are no longer of any use to the 
Cheyenne expedition, and are left dismounted with the 



268 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

train. I immediately proceeded to fix up teams, and 
found myself with 109 wagons, twenty-five six-mule 
teams, eighteen five-mule teams, sixty-six four-mule 
teams, equal to 504 mules, Eiddicks horse and mine, and 
a few hroken-down oavaln^ horses, which we will turn in 
at Laramie. Kot a saddle nor saddle-hlanket for the 
teams, 170 bridles short. I had been preparing for this 
condition of things, and had men breaking in leaders and 
saddle-mules all the time that we had been here; also 
had to rig out bridles, using ropes and straps for that 
purpose. By noon we were straightened out, traveled 
twelve miles and camped above Cottonwood Grove on the 
Platte. Lieutenant Eiddick found the remains of Daugh- 
orty on an island a little below camp and had them bur- 
ied, and called the place ^'Daugherty's Island." 

Mr. Beery went with pack train as chief "muleteer," 
and took Shn Eouth and his pick of other men in the 
train. The Colonel left the "white guide'' with the train, 
1o be discharged on arrival at Laramie. I may as well 
dispose of him now. He was well-behaved and of rathei- 
uood dispositioii — a pleasant man to get along with. The 
day after our alrrival at Ijaramie he married a young 
Sioux Squaw — that is, he; tied four ponies to the te]jiee of 
a warrier, they were accepted by said warrier, and the 
gir], his daughter, became the bride of the guide. Four 
years later I saw this same man married in due form to si 
white woman by a clerg3mian in Denver, while the squaw 
bride witnessed the ceremony through a. window as she 
ptood upon the porch, 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 269 

19th. Camped one mile above Fort Laramie. Ee- 
ported here that G-eneral Harney was to have left Fort 
Leavenworth on the 15th en route to Utah. 

20th. Turned in twenty-nine wagons, traveling- 
forge and surplus harness, and found myself with eighty 
six - mule teams complete (including saddles, blankets, 
bridles and a few inferior surplus mules which we drew 
from the quartermaster here). Drew commissary, med- 
ical and other stores and loaded everything but com. 

21st. Loaded 130,000 pounds of corn, drew fifty 
rifles and two boxes of ammunition for the same and 
eight boxes navy pistol cartridges, issued rifles to team- 
sters and made ready for start in the morning. One 
wagon was loaded exclusively with supplies for officers 
Avhen we should meet at dressing of South Platte. Jim- 
merson was the teamster in charge of this wagon and, 
strange to say, noue of its precious contents were lost, 
stolen or evaporated. 

22(1. Passed Bordeaus' trading place and camped 
below Major Dripp's trading house, nineteen miles from 
Lairamie. 

23d. Fifteen miles and camped at mouth of Horse 

Creek. We are told by Mr. Eeynolds, an Indian trader, 

thalt the Cheyennes iare but three days' travel south. 

If Colonel Sumne^r meets and whips them, they will 
likely go north, Reynolds thinks, and may meet us. The 
manao^ement of the train is left to me and I take no 
chances. The camp is, and will be while traveling along 
the r'ver, by making the train form three sides of a 
square^ river forming the fou'rth — s^-y twenty-six wagons 



270 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

fronting west, twenty-six south and twenty-six east^ — 
wagoins about twenty feet apart — river forming north 
h'ne of the camp where the dismounted soldiers and 
their mess wagon and my mess wagon will camp. Mules 
herded outside of the square until an hour before sun- 
set and then picketed on half lariat inside. Lieutenant 
Eiddick places sentinels pTetty well out from the wagons. 
I make a regular detail of teamsters, with a wagon- 
master and assistant in charge, who divide the night 
between them, and I am to be called at any and all 
times that the man in charge sees or hears anything 
suspicious, or that he does not understand. The detail 
for sentinels is twelve teamsters each night — half be- 
ing on post the first half of the night and half the last 
part. This gives two sentinels on the west, two on the 
south and two on the east — the roster kept so that each 
man will do his fair share of guard duty. From my 
experience as a dragoon I send two or three men mounted 
on mules to highest points in the vicinity of camp, 
there to dismount and let the mules graze while they 
keep a look out and keep me infc^rmed of everything of 
interest from the time we camp until sunset. 

24th to 27th. Camped each night on Platte. 
, 28th. Soon after leaving camp, saw a party of In- 
dians on the onposite side of river, supposed to be Sioux. 
Indians seen along l)luffs about two miles from camp. 
We saw' some Sioux squaws along the blulf between In- 
dian camp and ours, and Eiddick and I rode out to see 
what they were hunting for, and found they were after 
Tattlesnakes, and they found them plentiful. I dis- 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON- 271 

moiTntecl and watched one squaw for half an hour, dur- 
ing which she got three. With a forked stick in left 
hand and butcher knife in the other, she crept towards 
the snake until he was ready to ^^strike,'' when quickly 
and skillfully she pinned him down by placing the forked 
stick close to his head, pressing down firmly and ampu- 
tating the head. By killing them in this way they had 
no chance to bite themselves, which they do when hurt 
or angry. When they do not bite themselves, thereby 
poisoning the meat, it is good to eat, and that is what 
the squaws wanted them for. Having severed the head 
from the body, the squaw caught the latter and thrust 
it into the folds of her blanket next to her buckskin 
shirt. 

Arrived at Ash Hollow at 10 o'clock and camped. 
Storm subsided and left a bright, sunny day. After 
lunch mounted my horse, and with ^"^Billy'^ Daniels for 
a companion, went in search of a 'road out of Ash Hol- 
low to avoid the one already in use, which is altogether 
impracticable for us with pur heavy loads — 3,500 pounds 
in each wagon. The teams could no more than pull u^) 
the empty wagons, and we should have to double teams 
and haul up a little at a. time, straining mules and break- 
ing chains. We found and staked out a route that can 
be traveled without much difriculty — five hou'rs' hard 
riding to find a route three miles through the bluffs. 

30th. Off at 5:00, took the new route and at 8:00 
o'clock all wftgons were at the top of the hill in safety, 
with no accident except upsetting one wagon by care- 
lessness. 

18— 



272 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

Having fairly straightened out the train at the top 
of the hill, a band of Indians came in sight from the 
east at a fast gallop. I started the train into corral, 
giving the sign by riding my horse in a circle; the move- 
mjent was quickly commenced, wagonmasters and team- 
sters moving with a will. Eiddick quickly formed his 
soldieb^s in line ready for business, while I rode to a 
high point, with Manuel for an interpreter, and mo- 
tioned them to stop. Tliey came down to a walk, and 
when within hailing distance were told to stop and let 
their chief came up. This they did, ^^Man-afraid-of- 
his-horse'^ approached, ''Howed," shook hands, and asked 
for something to eat. I cut the talk short by telling 
him that we must keep all we had for Colonel Sumner% 
command, which was after the Cheyennes and would be 
very hungry whien we met. The chief promised not to 
come any nearer and I shook his hand, galloped to the 
train and straightened out on the road. The Indians 
had no hostile intent. 

Fourteen miles, brought us into camp one mile above 
crossing of South Platte. Immediately after lunch, about 
1 o'clock, I ^retired to my tent to sleep off the fatigue 
of yesterday, and told my cook not to allow any one 
to disturb me unless for some good reason. At 5 o'clock 
he woke me and said that Lieutenant Eiddick wanted 
me to come to the river bank; there were Indians on 
the other side. I took no arms, contrary to my habit 
of always being ready. There were four Indians, and I 
sent a man with a white towel for a flag to a small is- 
land to wave it as an invitation to come over, hoping 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 273 

to hear something from Colonel Sunnier. As soon as 
the man beckoned them to come over, one galloped off 
lip the river and the other three took off their saddles 
and commenced to cross bareback. It was easier and 
safer to cross without saddles. They were soon in cam]), 
claimed to be Sioux but proved to be Cheyennes. I ad- 
vised taking them prisoners, which Eiddick agreed to, 
and I explained to him the dilhculty of doing so with- 
out injuring them, which we must avoid if poissil)le. 

The teamsters were now bringing in the mules and 
picketing them on half lariat between us and the river. 
The soldiers had been cleaning their guns for inspection, 
and stood idly by. Having arrived at my tent, Manuel 
Vijil, a Mexican who had lived with the Sioux and un- 
derstood the Cheyenne language, especially the sign lan- 
guage, was called to act as interpreter. The Indians 
seemed frightened on seeing the soldiers, but were as- 
sured that no hann would come to them: that we would 
feed and take care of them, etc. We all sat u])on the 
ground, Eiddick facing one Indian, I another, and Man- 
uel the third. At Eiddick's request, I i)layed the part 
of "White Chief/' and did the talking. They were 
asked why they came into our cam]), and renlied that, 
being very hungry and thinking it a freight or emi- 
grant train, they ho]ied to o"et something- to eat. Asked 
where their people were, thev said that some of them 
were on the South Platte, near the mouth of Pole Creek, 
about twenty miles above us. This corroborated my sus- 
picion that the fourth Indian, who rode off u]> the river, 
had gone to some camp. Asked if they knew wheTC 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

Colonel Sumner's command was, the bi^^ brave said that 
they did, but did not want to talk about that. They 
were then informed that this was Colonel Sumner's sup- 
])ly train, and that they were prisoners; that they would 
bi' well treated and fed; that we would take care of 
their arms and ponies until Colonel Sumner's arrival, 
which would be in a day or two. To this their leader, 
a large, powerful fellow, six feet four inches high, and 
stronglv pock-marked, appeared to agree, but said some- 
thing very low to the others, which Manuel afterwards 
interpreted to be : "You young men can do as you please, 
but I am no longer a boy to give up my bow." It was 
a trying moment. I realized that their compliance with 
my request would come only after a physical struggle. 
We did not want to do violence to these three Indians 
in a camp of 150 men; it would seem shameful; yet we 
must keep them prisoners. We all stood up, fifty men 
standing airound, half of them with loaded rifles. Quick 
as thought the big fellow sprang on his pony, and was 
ofl^ towards the river. Twenty or more shots were fired 
after him, but his pony tangled in the mules' lariats 
and fell, pitching the Indian into a slough separating 
some small islands from the main land. 

All but Manuel and myself rushed after the escap- 
ing Indian, while Manuel, a big, broad-shouldered, pow- 
erful man, seized one of the others from behind, pin- 
ioned his arms tightly, laid him on the ground and 
ihere held him; I reached for the bow of the third one, 
when he eluded me and I struck him a powerful blow 
in the face, thinking to knock him down; but he only 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 21 b 

bounded like a Inill, drew his scalping knife and came 
near stabbing me. I seized him by the wrists and held 
up his hands, realizing thaf to^ let go meant death to 
me^ while he sprang into the air like a wild tiger, try- 
ing with all his might to break away, and yelling like 
a maniac. This lasted a minute or two until ^'Billy" 
Daniels, a fine young teamster, came to my assistance. 
I told him to get behind the Indian, pinion his arms 
and lay him down on the ground, which he did; and with 
both hands I took his knife, bow, quiver and arrows. 
His saddle, lariat, bow, quiver, arrows and scalping knife 
fell to me, and on my return to Fort Leavenworth I 
gave them to my friend Levi Wilson, who sent them to 
his father. Dr. Wilson, of Pittsburg, Pa. 

Small rope was brought and I soon had both tied 
hand and foot. Then I mounted my horse and searched 
the small islands near shore for the big brave, thinking 
be must be wounded or killed; but did not find him. If 
he was hit, he might have sunk in the muddy stream, 
and one could not see a foot under water; and if not, 
he could lie on his back under over-hanging willows with 
nose far enough out of the water to breathe until dark, 
and then make his escape. His pony, lariat, blanket, 
bow, quiver and arrows were left behind. For want of 
proper irons we used small chains and padlocks from the 
front boxes of wagons to iron the two prisoners, the right 
hand of one fastened to the left hand of the other. We 
had a tent pitched for them, and a soldier sentinel placed 
in front and one in rear. And now the interpreter, 
Lieutenant Kiddick, and I commenced a pumping process 



2t6 ^I^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

to find out from the young fellows all we could of Col- 
onel fSuinner. We learned that he had had a battle the 
day before, that some Indians were killed and wounded, 
as well as some soldiers, that the Cheyennes were scat- 
tered, most of them going north, crossing the South 
Platte near the mouth of Pole Creek. We believed these 
statements to be fairly correct. The Indian that I cap- 
tured was a son of the head chief, and the other was 
liis cousin, each about twenty-two years old, tall, well 
built, and very handsome Indians — the best type of 
Cheyennes. 

And now the suspicion arose that there might be a 
large camp of Cheyennes in the vicinity of the mouth 
of Pole Creek. We had the chief's son, and there might 
be an effort made to stampede or capture our train to 
give the youngstt^rs a chance to escape, and I immediaco- 
ly set to work to corral the wagons so as to make a solid 
fort, with room for men and animals inside. Setting 
the first wagon, the next came up and struck its left 
front wheel against the right hind wheel of the first, 
with tongue on the outside — each wagon coming up so 
as to make the circle more complete; when the last 
wagon but one was in, that one would close the mouth 
of the corral so that nothing could get in or out. All 
this we did by hand in two hours, put all of the animals 
inside an,d closed the gap with the last wagon. Then 
] examined all arms in the hands of teamsters, and saw 
that each had fifty rounds of ammunition. Riddick did 
the same with the soldiers. A strong guard was posted, 
and all was quiet. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 



277 



A candle was kept burning in the prisoners' tent, 
and lying a few feet from the open front, without being 




Wagon Corral. 



seen, I watched them. They whispered together a good 
deal and seemed to be listening, wrapped in a state of 
expectance. There was a dismal sound of wolves howl- 



278 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

ing in every direction. That was nothing new; we heard 
them howling every night; but one of them sent out a 
peculiar howl, unlike any of the others; he howled at 
intervals directly south across the river. To this the 
young chief and his fellow prisoner sat up and listened 
eagerly. Wolves wading across a shallow river make 
about the same splashing noise that a horse does, and 
Quite a number crossed during the night. An hour had 
passed since I had heard the peculiar howl referred to, 
when it broke out again on our side of the river above 
t(he camp. I now felt convinced, as . I had before be- 
lieved, that this particular howl was by an Indian, by 
which he conveyed information to the prisoners. There 
was no sleep for me, for I believed thlat there was a large 
band of Cheyennes in our neighborhood, but we had no 
fear of the whole Cheyenne Nation, the way we were cor- 
ralled. Vigilance was all that we needed. 

July 31st. Camp aroused an hour before daylight 
in anticipatioin of an ajttack, about dawn being a favor- 
ite time with Indians to surprise unsuspecting sleepers. 
Daylight cam.e, but no enemy in sight. After breakfast, 
with three men mounted on mules, I scoured the coun- 
try to the highest bluffis north, and then posted them 
as videttes on three prominent points half a mile from 
camp. I then rode a couple of miles up the river, but 
discovered nothing but the tracks of two ponies which 
crossed the river during the night. About 4:00 p. m. 
an Indian approached the river on the opposite side to 
within half a mile of the bank, reconnoitered a while 
and then rode away. About 5 o'clock an express ar- 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 279 

rived from Laramie with mail for the command, which 
failed to reach Colonel Sumner by a former express; it 
was brought by a mountaineer called "Big Phil/' accom- 
panied by a Sioux Indian. No news from Colonel Sum- 
ner; mules herded close to corral under strong guard, 
ready to rush them in quickly if necessar}'. 

August 1st. Videttes posted and mules herded by 
strong mounted guard near by corral. I crossed the river 
and met one of Majors & Company's trains en route to 
Salt Lake. No news from Colonel Sumner and none 
from the "States." Eode five miles up the river and 
found plenty of Indian pony tracks. Some soldiers 
crossed over and found two saddles belonging to our pris- 
oners. This shows that the Indian who escaped took his 
saddle for another horse, when he joins his tribe or gets 
a chance to steal one. No Indians seen to-day. Thi^ 
evening Lieutenant Eiddick consented to send out two 
Mexican spies, Manuel Vijil (pronounced Vi-heel) and 
J\lalquis Mestos, for the purpose of ascertaining the loca- 
tion of the Cheyenne camp, supposed to be near the 
mouth of Pole Creek, perhaps twenty miles above us. 
Manuel was given a letter from Lieutenant Eiddick to 
Colonel Sumner, in case he should meet him, and he was 
instructed to find the Cheyenne camp if possible, count 
the lodges, see which way they faced, take cognizance 
of every ravine or pass leading to the camp, etc., and 
to return to our camp l)y evening of the 3d inst. They 
were furnished horses, feed and arms, and passed the 
guard at 12:00 midnight. 

2d. The expressman, "Big Phil" and the Sioux 



280 FIVE YJEARS A DRAGOON. 

Indian left us at sunrise. They had been permitted to 
talk with the prisoners, it being knowTi that they would 
tell of it to any Indians they happened to meet;, and by 
that means the safety of the prisoners would be known 
to their friends; aJid it was believed that the Oheyennes 
might be induced to come in and make terms for peace. 
Moved camp one and one-half miles up river for fresh 
grass. Improved this time to practice in corralling, so 
as always to be ready to corral quickly by driving round 
in a circle without confusion. A hundred men well 
armed inside of my corral could stand off thousands Avith 
bows and arrows. 

After the videttes had been posted on high ground 
and I or one or two wagonmasters had explored a lit- 
tle, the mules are turned out to gaze and kept out until 
within an hour of sunset, and then shut up in the cor- 
ral for the night. We feed corn to wagonmasters', Mex- 
icans' and Riddick's and my horses to keep them in con- 
dition for long rides or stampedes at any time; no other 
animals are fed. We save the corn for the command 
when it reaches us. 

August 3d. Mexicans return this evening, and re- 
poit having found a camp of seven lodges on the south 
side of South Platte, nearly opposite mouth of Pole Creek, 
where there had been two other camps. They found a 
chart in one of the camps marked on a buffalo skull, 
showing that the Indians had taken the route up Pole 
Creek to a point opposite Smith's Fork, thence north 
across North Platte. The Mexicans saw one Indian to- 
day, but could not get near him. No news or sig^n of 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 281 

Colouei Sumner. Heavy rain and electric storm during 
the night. 

August 4th. I called for volunteers to go to the 
camp of seven lodges. Twenty teamsters and the two 
Mexicans above mentioned got ready, armed with rifles 
and revolvers. 

August 5th. Off at sunrise; teamsters on mulet^, 
Mexicans and myself on horses; crossed river opposite 
camp, up south side to the seven lodges. There the}' 
stood, but no Indians in sight, and a careful reconnais- 
sance revealed none. Everything indicated tlmt they 
had gone in a hurry, leaving besides lodges, many useful 
articles; live coals of a small fire still smouldering, and 
cooking utensils that would not be abandoned except in 
case of necessity. Looking across the river, up Pole 
Creek, we saw a band of Indians in rapid retreat two 
miles away. Undoubtedly my party had been seen, and 
the Indians were in too much of a hurry to encuml}er 
themselves with lodges. The party seemed quite large 
and their precipitate retreat indicated that they were 
greatly demoralized. The Indian trail coming from the 
south was broad and quite well worn, showing that many 
had traveled it recently, and quite a number since the 
rain night before last. Manuel and I were so impressed 
with the indications of recent Indian travel over tliis 
line, that we instinctively looked south for some por- 
tion of Colonel Sumner s command in pursuit. We saved 
one of the lodges, a nice small one, pack-saddle and a 
bushel or two of kinickinick (the inside bark of red 
willow, dried), enough for all hands to smoke for a 



282 ^I^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

month, piled everything else together and burned it. 
Placing sentinels on several high points, with the Mex- 
icans and "Billy" Daniels, I rode to the camp two miles 
above; found a chart on a buffalo head and everything 
to corroborate Manuel's statement; had him bring the 
head to camp. T'o me it revealed the fact that the scat- 
tering bands were going to concentrate somewhere north 
of North Platte, and it might be valuable information 
for Colonel Sumner. Returned to my party and thence 
to camp without incident, except plentiful signs of In- 
dians having traveled up and down the river opposite oui' 
camp — surely Cheyennes. There wx^re tracks of two 
American horses, with shoes on, that had passed the 
camp both ways since the rain, indicating that Colonel 
Sumner may have lost some horses. 

August 7th and 8th. Nothing new. Several false 
alarms. Each sunny day the wagon covers are thrown 
off so that the sun may dry out any dampness that may 
have accumulated. If rain has beaten in, the loading is 
taken out and repacked. Damp commissaries and corn 
soon spoil under wagon covers exposed to the hot sun. 
Many horses and mules die of colic caused by eating corn 
thus exposed. It gathers dampness, swells, heats, gets 
musty, moldy and finally rotten, unfit for any animal to 
eat. Til ere is nothing so demoralizing for men as idle- 
ness, and examining loads, unloading and re-loading wag- 
ons is a great benefit to men and stores. 

The Indian prisoners seem to have outgrown their 
fears of violence, and to have overcome their aversion to 
Manuel and myself, who were the prime cause of their 



FIVE YEARS A DRAOOON. 283 

captivity; in short, they have become quite communicative. 
The one who fell into my hands says that after the fight 
the Cheyennes scattered, agreeing to go north and meet 
from time to time at some point north of the North 
Platte. When told of what we found near the mouth 
of Pole Creek, the buffalo head with chart having been 
shown them, they said that that camp was a sort of depot 
of supplies and information to assist those going north. 
Beino- closely questioned, the young chief said the wolf 
that made the peculiar noise the night of their capture 
was his father, and that two other nights he had heard 
his father. He thought the Cheyennes too much scatter- 
ed to attack our train, and thought his father would not 
do so for fear of what might happen to them; in fact suf- 
ficient assurance had been given through the peculiar 
wolf howl, that they would -not disturb the tram. And 
we believed that their captivity would have a strong m- 
fiuence in including the Cheyennes to come to terms and 

sue for peace. 

August 9th. This morning one of Childs ox traims 
passed en route to the -States." By it we learned that 
the mail passed west during the night. Sent two men 
and caught nnail at Ash Hollow. 

August 10th. Crossed train over river without acci- 
dent,^ and camped one mile below where we had so much 
trouble in June. Water is low; half the river bed a 
dry sand bar; Lieutenant Riddick took 211 sacks ot corn 
from one of Major Rus^sell's trains en route to Laramie, 
believing that Colonel Sumner's command would soon 



284 ^^"^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

he here. Some Indians seen this evening supposed to be 
Sioux. ' '' •; I I 

August 11th. This morning a band of Sioux, under 
^'Man-Afraid-of-His-Hoirses," crossed from north to soutli 
side of the river. Only the chief allowed to come into 
camp. He was told to keep away from the mule herd, 
and not to allow his men to come near. In the meantime 
the nmles were corralled. The Indians soon left, and 
the mules were again turned out. A wagonmaster or 
his assistant is with the herd all of the time, and he i< 
instructed to corral on the appearance of Indians, whether 
there seems to be danger or not. One of the herders 
leads a horse with a. bell on his neck, and when the herd 
is to be corralled he rattles the bell violently and gallops 
for the corral. The passageway is always kept clear when 
mules are out. The mules have now gotten so used to 
this that they run for the corral when the bell is rattled, 
and could hardly be kept from it. About noon a train 
came in sight down the river. Of course we are all ex- 
])ectancy, hoping that every outfit that comes in sight 
may be ours. I rode out and met Colonel M. F. W. Ma- 
graw and his surveying party, en route to California, with 
"Tim'' Goodale, the celebrated mountaineer, as guide. T 
had met him here in 1851. Major Johnson, Sixth Infan- 
try, en route to Laramie, is with Magraw. Magraw witli 
his fifty wagons camped Mear us, and half the night was 
spent in gathering the news from him, Goodale and John- 
son. They left us a few old papers. 

August 12th. Magraw's train croissed the river and 
camped oti north bank. He, Goodale, and Major Johnson 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 285 

dined with us. Goodale belonged, to the class of moun- 
taineers who ranked with Sublett, Fitzpatriek, Bridger, 
etc., with Oarson as the recognized head — reliable charac- 
ters, unmixed with false heroism, intelligent and trust- 
Avorthy. The young Cheyennes knew him, and he learned 
from them about what they had told us, and he thought 
the information pretty correct. Of course Goodale knew 
nothing of Colonel Sumner^s fight, but judging from 
what the prisoners said, it was forty hours afterwards 
that they came to m}^ camp, and he thought the Chey- 
ennes were sure to retreat north; they would not be likely 
to go south or west, and surely not east; they could get 
north of the ^orth Platte more easily, and soon be in a 
comparatively safe country, at that time almost unknown 
to the whites. He wondered why Colonel Sumner was 
not hot after them, as they passed within twenty miles of 
his supply train, and some of them much nearer, unless 
he was himself too much crippled to follow; at any rate, 
if the Cheyennes were whipped anywhere on the branches 
of the Kaw River they would retreat north if possible; 
and we had ample proof that the chief (whose son and 
nephew were our prisoners) and most of his 2>eople did 
go north. Any one who knew the country north of 
!N'orth Platte would know they would do that, and then 
old "'Tim'^ expressed the opinion that Colonel Sumner's 
guides knew nothing about the haunts of the Cheyennes 
in the northern country. 

Mr. R. ^r. Peck, of Whittier, California, has written 
an interesting account of the Cheyenne expedition, as he 
remembers it; and as a soldier in the First Cavalry ho 



286 ^I^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

participated in the battle a.nd in pursuit of some of the 
Cheyennes, the command going to the Arkansas after- 
wards, undoubtedly oppoisite to the route taken by most 
of them (see Mr. Peck's letter in Kansas State Historical 
Society's collections, Volume VIII). 

13th. Went with Colonel Magraw to Ash Hollow. 
He passed his train over my new route without difficulty, 
and named it "Lowe's Route Avoiding Ash Hollow Hill." 

14th. In the evening one mule left the herd and ran 
down the road, followed by Assistant Wiagonmaster Stan- 
ley and two teamsters. They soon returned and reported 
that they saw Indians on the north side of the river. 
Messrs. Patrick, Cecil and I went in pursuit as far as Nine 
Mile Tree, where we found Captain Van Vliet, quarter- 
master of the Utah army, camped. His men had caught 
my mule. Captain Van Vliet is on the way to Salt Lake, 
to return immediately. He informed me that while Colo- 
nel Sumner's whereabouts are unknown, four of the six 
troops of cavalry now with him are to go to Utah, while 
the Colonel with the other two troops returns to Leaven - 
woTth. The three comipanjies of infantry now under 
Colonel Sumner (C, D and G, Sixth), with the company 
at Laramie (B, Sixth), are also to go to Utah. Colonel 
Alexander, Tenth Infantry, with advance troops for Salt 
Lake, expected in a day or two. Returned to camp at 
midnight. 

15th. Captain Van A^liet passed this morning. I 
led the command over the river, as I did every other mili- 
tary outfit while we were camped near the crossing, and 
was able to serve many of them to good advantage. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 287 

17th. An express from Laramie, "Big Phil'^ arrived 
at sunrise. Eeceived several letters from friends. No 
news' from Colonel Sumner. A party of returning Cali- 
fornians camped near by- The party was managed by 
Mr. D. 0. Mills, a banker of San Francisco, and a sea cap- 
tain whose name I have forgotten. They stopped in Salt 

Lake several days. Mr. Mills and Captain seemed 

to be very superior men and not inclined to talk romance. 
This is the D. 0. Mills of Xew York whose name is hon- 
ored throughout the financial world. They camped near 
us two days. They needed rest and took it while they 
could safely do so near our outfit. 

21st. Colonel Alexander crossed over and camped 
on the north side. I led the train and gave him full in- 
formation of route to Laramie. Saw ]\lr. Andrew Garton 
and son, beef contractors of Clay County, Missouri, who 
are driving a large herd of cattle for delivery at Laramie 
under escort of the Tenth. Lieutenant Bryan's party 
arrived from Bridger s Pass and camped near us. Dr. 
Covey joined us from Lieutenant Bryan — quite an ac- 
quisition to our mess. 

22nd. Colonel Alexander marched early. Lieuten- 
ant Bryan's party left en route to the States. 

Captain Dixon, quartermaster, and Captain Clark, 
ccmmistary, arrived a::d (ros-^ed the river en route to Utah. 
I'tah. They bTing news that Colonel Sumner had a fight 
with the Cheyennes on the 29th of July. Large body of 
Indians formed in battle array, and the cavalry charged 
with drawn sabers. Twelve Indians were left on the field 
and many wounded ; cavalry lost two men killed, and Liei;^ 

19- 



288 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

tenant Stuart and eight men wounded. Captain Foote 
with his company of Sixth Infantry bringing the wounded 
to Fort Kea'rney. The fight is said to have taken place 
on Solomon^s Fork of the Kaw Eiver. Colonel Sumner 
followed the Indians^ burned their lodges and other prop- 
erty^, and then followed their trail, as he supposed, en 
route to the Arkansas. Colonel Sumner established a 
camp on Walnut Creek, leaving two companies of in- 
fantry there, under Captain Ketchum. Sent Lieutenant 
Lomax to Fort Eiley after supplies. This is the first 
news of Colonel Sumner^s command except what the pris- 
oners gave us. Moved camp five miles up river. We 
think the chances much against Colonel Sumner ever 
coming to us. For sanitairy reasons one camp should 
not be long occupied; it becomes filthy and the corrals 
muddy and unclean. 

August 24th. Fifth Infantry camped nine miles be- 
low crossing en route to Utah. More than half of the 
regiment said to have deserted since leaving Florida, two 
months ago. 

25th. Fifth Infantry crossed river. Animals in good 
condition, the credit of which is largely due to my friend 
"Jim'^ Miller, the liead wagonmaster, who always herds 
nmles and never starves them at the hvriat. He came 
to me at Eiley in the fall o<f 1855 with thv Second Dra- 
goons from Texas, and is one of the very l)est in his line. 

28th. Express arrived from Kcanu'v l)ringing letters 
from Captain Foote and Lieutenant Stnart io Lieutenant 
Kiddick, and orders fi'om Colonel Sumner to [lieutenant 
Eiddick for the train to proceed to Kearney, turn in all 
stores not neoes&ary for use^ and proceed to Fort Leaven- 



■ • . FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 289 

worth. Colonel Sumner gone to tlie Arkansas, and will 
oo from there to Fort Leavenworth, where he will prob- 
ably arrive as soon as we do. ^Tliongh there has been no 
hardship in oar stay here, there has been a good deal 
of anxiety. The long suspense is very monotonous, and 
all are glad to move. 

29th. En route to Kearney. When nine miles be- 
low the crossing an express arrived from G-eneral Har- 
ney at Leavenworth, ordering that the train proceed to 
Ash Hollow and there remain until the arrival of four 
troops of the First Oavalry and three companies of Sixth 
Infantry en route to Utah. The order presupposes the 
train to be at Ivea.rney, and directs Lieutenant Eiddick 
to take supplies from that post sufficient to subsist the 
four troops and three companies to LaTamie. As he has 
not sufficient supplies, Lieutenant Eiddick determined to 
proceed to Kearney and procure them, and, unless other- 
wise ordered, return to Ash Hollow and remain as di- 
rected. Camped at Nine Mile Tree. 

31st. Camped below OTallon's Bluffs at Freemont 
Spring, the head of big slough that runs parallel with 
the South Platte, twenty or more miles. When coming 
into camp, an Indian and two squaws with pack-pony 
dragging lodge and poles crossed the road from the south 
going north. The "buck" said that they were Sioux; I 
thought them Cheyennes. When in mid-river, becoming 
frightened, they cut away their packs and ran, which 
confirms my belief that they were Cheyennes. I w^as 
soirry to see their effects thus thrown awav. The poor 
squaws were safe enough. 



290 ^^^'^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

September 7th. Camped at Fort Kearney. And 
now we must part with our Indian prisoners, of whom 
1 have become quite fond, though glad to be rid of the 
responsibility of holding them. Lieutenant Eiddick 
turned them over to the commanding officer, and they 
were confined in the guard house. Thirty-nine days they 
have been with us, and while we have been obliged to 
be a little severe in keeping them safely ironed, they 
have been well fed ^and safely cared for. 

9th. AVe started to return west and camped seven- 
teen miles above the fort on Platte. Dr. Covey accom- 
])anied us. The Doctor and I went after buffalo about 
sunset and killed one each. Dr. Summers, post surgeon, 
and John Heath, post sutler, arrived from the fort on a 
buffalo hunt and spent the night with us. 

13th. Camped one mile below O'Fallon's Bluffs on 
head of Freemont's Slough. At (1 :00 this evening an ex- 
pressman arrived from Kearney with orders from Col- 
onel Sumner for the train to remain at Kearney until 
the arrival of Major Sedgwick's four troops of cavalry 
and two companies of infantry. The order was sent 
under the belief that the train was then at Kearney. 

14th. On the back track en route to Kearney. 

16th. Short distance from camp killed a buffalo 
while crossing ro«d ahead of train, and before going into 
camp Messrs. Stanley and Eskridge killed another; saved 
abundance of fine meat. Met G-eorge Cater, an express- 
man, en route to Laramie. Lieutenant Riddick received 
letters stating that all of tlie cavalry and infantry that 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 291 

were ordered from the Cheyenne expedition to Utah are 
now ordered to Lea.venworth. Camped on Platte. 

ITth. Camped on Platte. Killed nine prairie chick- 
ens Avith pistols in camp before train came np. Lieuten- 
ant Marmadnke, wdth detachment of recruits for Seventh 
Infantry, en route to Laramie, arrived and camped 

with us. ! 

18th. Lying by. Pained all forenoon. In the after- 
noon Marmaduke and I "still hnnted" (hunted on foot) 
buffalo, but did not kill any. His transportation con- 
sisted of two dilapidated wagons, each drawn by six 
broken-down pack-mules that Captain Foote had brought 
into Kearney with the w^ounded men from the Cheyenne 
campaign. We w^ere going in, and could exchange and 
give him fine teams and wagons, which we did, and 
turned over to him another team and wagon for which 
he receipted; and whh it 1 turned over an experienced 
man capable of looking after all of the teams; knew 
the camps, and would take him to Laramie all right. 
1 never saw a better pleased man than Marmaduke— a 
future major general in the Confederate Army, and 
later Governor of his native State of Missouri. We in- 
vited Marmaduke to join oui; mess while camped near 
us, which he did. He had some potatoes, something 
we had not seen in four months. I would only accept 
enough for one dinner, which, with my prairie chickens, 
made a fine feast. 

19th. Lieutenant Marmaduke and party went on 
west and we east. Met "Sim" Pouth and Sarcoxie, a 
Delaware guide, with letters, by which we learn that 



292 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



Major Sedgwick's command of four troops of cavali)' 
and two companies of infantry are waiting for us 
tliirty-two miles below Kearney. Arrived and camped 
at Kearney. Found Lieutenarrtis Wheaton and Bayard 
at the fort with orders for Tieutenant Eiddick to tnrn 




MaJOH (lENEHAL TlTZJOHN PoK'lEK. 

over the train and all other property to Lieutenant 
Wheaton. We left here all commissary stores not nec- 
essary for troops going in to Fort Leavenworth. 

20th. Finished turning over property and stai-ted 




Major-General Philip St. George Cooke. 



294 FiVE 7DARS A DRAGOON. 

down the river at noon. Met Beauvais^ and Bisonet's 
traders' trains for their trading posts near Fort 
La.ramie. 

21st. Camped with Major Sedgwick's command 
on Little Blue. 

22d. Camped on Little Blue. Ttirned over four 
tennis to Captain Ketchum's command. Feed half ra- 
tions of corn to horses and mules. 

23d. When leaving camp this morning met Col- 
onel Albert Sidney Johnston, of the Second Cavalry, 
in command of the LTtah Expedition, and his adjutant- 
general, Major Fitzjohn Porter, with a train of twen- 
ty - four mule ambulances, several officers and an es- 
cort of the Second Dragoons, en route to Utah. I 
received orders to select twenty-five of my best mule 
teams to be left w^ith an escort of cavalry to await the 
arrival of Colonel Cooke,* en route to Utah. Colonel 
Johnston and Major Porter were waiting by the side 
of the road, and saw the teams go by. I was sent for, 
and Colonel Johnston said : "I am told that this is the 
finest train on the plains." To which I replied that 

*Philip St. George Cooke was born in Virginia, and 
was graduated from the Military Academy in 1827. Brevet 
second lieutenant infantry, ]st July, 1827; second lieuten- 
ant Sixth Infaniry, 1st July, 1827; first lieutenant First 
Dragoons, 4th March, 1833; captain, 31st of May. 1835; 
major Second Dragoons, 16th February, 1847; lieuten- 
ant colonel, 15th July, 1883; colonel, 14th June, 1858; Sec- 
ond Cavalry, 3d August, 1861; brigadier ereneral Volun- 
teers, 12th to 28th November, 1861; brigadier general. U. 
S. A., 12th November, 1861; retired 29th October, 1873: 
brevet lieutenant colonel, 20th February, 1^47, for meritor- 
ious conduct in California, and major general 13th ol 
March, 1865, for gallant and meritorious service during the 
war. Died 20th March, 1895. 



FIVE TEAR^ A DRAGOON. 295 

we had exchanged a few good teams for broken-down 
ones from the Cheyenne campaign; otherwise, the teams 
and equipments were complete. "Well," said he, "we 
want the best; we will need them," and he got them. 
Traveled eignteen miles and camped on Little Blue. 
Unloaded twenty-five wagons, fitted up the best teams 
and equipments throughout, got volunteers to drive 
them, drew rations for the men, and have everything 
ready to turn over in the morning. 

24th. Turned over the twenty-five wagons for 
Colonel Cooke's command to Lieutenant Perkins, and 
two wagons for himself and escort — a small detach- 
]nent of cavalry. Mr. Patrick took charge of train as 
wagonmaster; he was an excellent man and very com- 
petent. "Billy" Daniels went as assistant wagonmaster 
— ^a well earned promotion. Camped on Little Blue. 
An expressman left this miorning and another this even- 
ing en route to Fort Leavenworth. 

26th. Camped on Snake Eoot Creek. Express ar- 
rived this evening from Fort Leavenworth. Colonel 
Cooke's command of six troops of Second Dragoons 
said to be at Big Blue. The troops of Major Sedgwick's 
command to be stationed at various points in Kansas 
for the present. 

27th. Met Colonel Cooke's command three miles 
v»cst of Big Blue. Lieutenant Buford, acting quarter- 
master for the command, had an order to change all 
the mules he wanted to, taking our best and leaving 
his worst, w^hich he did, leaving us nothing but a bad 
lot of mules to go in with. The last of my beautiful 



296 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAQOOn. 

train was goiio. Wo were going wliere forage was plon- 
. tifnl; tliey were approaching mnter, where forage of 
all kinds wonld be scarce. Bnford trusited to me, and 
I gave him the best. Crossed Big Blue and camped 
on Spring Creek. I heard that there were eighty de- 
sertions from dragoons since lea^dng Fort Leavenworth. 
Ca]>tain Ketchnm witli his two companies of infantry, 
remains here (Marysville) nntil after election — first 
Monday in October, or nntil further orders. 

28th. Arrived and camped at Ash Point, twenty- 
five miles. 

29th. Camped on Xemaha, Sen(H-;i is the town (now 
county seat of Nemaha Countv, Kansas). Captain Stur- 
gis and Lieutenant Stockfou arrived from Fort Leav- 
enworth. Ct Troop First Cavalry to renuiin here until 
after election, B Troop to go to Falermo, A Troop to 
Claytonville, P' Trooj) to Atchison. 1 go with twenty- 
nine teams and all the extra animals to Fort Leaven- 
worth. Twenty-nine years old to-day, and gray enough 
to be fifty. 

;3Uth. Off for Fort Leavenworth at the same time 
that the com maud starts down the Atchison road. Four 
days later. \\\\\\ Lieutenants Wheaton and Riddick, 1 
arrived at Fort LeaAenworth and turned over the rem- 
nant of propertv in my charge; the Cheyenne campaign 
had ended, hut the troops were still in the field, keep- 
ing ])eace at the polls, a more irksome business for sol- 
diers than fighting Indians. 

The day after my arrival Colonel Sumner sent for 
me and inquired particularly abont what I saw of tho 



I'lVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 297 

cainpaign; said he had heard a good account of my pari 
in it from various sources, and especially from Mr. 
Eiddick; said that my train liad the reputation of being 
the finest ever seen on the plains, and the best man- 
aged; in short, he was very profuse in his praises. He 
was especially interested in knowing my idea of the 
liight of the Chevennes north, after his battle witli 
them: I told him how things looked where I burned 
tlie camp, and all information gained from the Indian 
prisoners and by scouting in the neighborhood, but I 
(lid not venture an opinion, nor did he ask me to. Hv 
had probably made history that would redound to his 
credit, and whether he followed the right or the wrong 
trail after the battle, he did the best that an earnest 
persevering commander could do, with tlie light before 
]iim : and I think that the general verdict of his com- 
mand was that he did well, and that is the highesi 
court by w^hich a man can be tried. 

After Colonel Sumner's command was ^"sifted*" 
where he left us on the South Platte, he went into the 
field mth as fine a set of officers and men as I ever 
saw. The civilians with his pack train — "Big Nick"* 
Beery at the head — were the best we had. (See Mr. 
Pecks letter in Historical Society's Oollections, hereto- 
fore referred to.) 

The civilians who were with me four and a half 
months were from all naits of the continent and some 
from Europe. Probably one-third of them born in the 
United States, represeixting a diozen States and Tei- 
ritor^es, most of them from Missouri a-nd Ka'Hsas, Then 



298 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

there was the hardy, cheerful, untiring "Canuck'^ (Can- 
adian) — more than twenty of them — always skillful and 
willing, wet or dry, feasting or fasting; and the Mexican, 
patient and uncomplaining always — he will squat over 
a fire no larger than his hand with his serape about 
him, smoke his cigarette or munch his "hard tack" 
cheerfully. A few Germans, careful of their teams, 
always ready and willina: — and the never failing Irish- 
man with his unbounded energy and snap. In short, 
as I look back in memory to the motley crowd I see 
more than an average set of men. 

I am told that Mr. Beery still lives in Montana. Ex- 
cept him I know but two living — Mr. K. B. Cecil, a 
wealthy farmer of Platte County, Mo., and "Sim" Routh 
of Easton, in Leavenworth County, Kansas — always a 
good citizen and prosperous. Of all the officers of that 
expedition, I do not think there is one living. Of the 
enlisted men I know of but one, Mr. R. M. Peck of 
Whittier, California. Probably there may be others. 



PART VIII. 

IX October or Xovember of each year, all mules not 
needed for use during winter were sent to Platte 
County, Missouri, to be fed, where corn and hay 
were plentiful and cheap, always returning to Fort 
Leavenworth fat tne following spring. 

There were four herds in Platte County for which 
I purchased fon^ge and over which, with a foreman in 
charge of each, I had general supervision. 

One incident of this winter I Avill relate: Early 
one cold morning in January, 1853, I rode from the 
corrals where I had a herd of mules on the farm of 
Bradley Cox, to his residence half a mile away, and 
found him talking to two young cavalrymen, who wanted 
some breakfast. Their horses w^ere branded on the left 
shoulder with the letter G and Figure 1, which meant 
that they belonged to Troop ' G," 1st Cavalry. The 
men had hitched their horses by throwing their bridle 
reins over a fence stake, and without dismounting I 
reached over, unhitched both horses and started to- 
wards my herd house, where the men who attended to 
the herd lived. At the same time telling the men to 
follow me and I would give them breakfast. These men 
knew me as Master-of-Ttansportation for the Cheyenne 
Expedition and ran after me begging fov their horses, 

21^9 



300 ^^'^VE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

1 replied that I would talk to them after they had- 
breakfast, but tbey could not liave the horses. At the 
mule corrals I called a man, had the horses turned loose 
with the mules, saddles, bridles, blankets and pistols 
taken to the house. Of course I knew these young fel- 
lows were deserters, knew their troop was stationed at 
Fort Riley, and that it was commanded by my friend. 
Lieutenant J. E. B. Stuart. I asked the cook to give 
them breakfast. They admitted that they had deserted 
from Fort Eiley and tried to excuse the act in various 
ways, whereas they had, in a spirit of discontent, left a 
good troop, as good a first sergeaint as I ever saw (my 
friend Byrnes) and a troop commander that any man 
should be proud to serve under, and here they were, 
deserters! And liable to all the penalties attached to 
tbat crime. I talked to them until they shed tears of 
repentance — they were not ordinary toughs, claimed 
that thev never drank liquor, which I afterwards found 
was true. They promised that if I would give them 
tlieir horses, they would go to Fort Leavenworth and 
gi\o themselves up to the commanding officer. This 1 
refused to do and told them that the temptation might 
be coo great and I woidd not trust them, that I thought 
it my duty to save this Government pcroperty, that I 
did not want the reward of $30 each which I would be 
<■ 11 titled to for delivering them at the Fort, and if they 
woidd promise me to deliver a letter to General Harney 
J would write one in which I would express belief that 
lliey were thoroughly repentaint, so imich so that I felt 
jftstified in trusting thein to report to him instead oi^ 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. IjQl 

taking them myself as Drisoners. The}' promised to do 
this and I wrote the facts to the General and stated 
that I was trusting them on my belief that they would 
keep their promise to me and report to him, and that 
1 I;elieved they were so thoroughly humiliated that if 
given a chance they would yet make good eoldiers. L 
felt that I was venturing too far in expressing an opin- 
ion to the Cleneral — I was not called upon to do so, but 
was so fully convinced that these youths would make 
no more mistakes that I made my hotter as impressive 
as possible. Tbey had a few dollars in money between 
them; I gave them a hmch and they left me at 10 a. m. 
to walk the twenty-one miles to Fort Leavenworth, which 
tliey did that day. Three days later I went to the Fort 
and took the horses and equipment along with me. 
When I called at the QuaTtermaster's office I was told 
that G-eneral Harney wanted to see me. I reported at 
his quarters and shown into his sitting room, where he 
asked me many questions, expressed himself well pleased 
aud went so far as to say I made no mistake in trust- 
ing these men, I had certainly done them a great favor, 
and he liked my wax of taking charge of the Govern- 
ment jDroperty. Of course the men were in the guard 
house, but in about a month a party was going to Fort 
Riley and they and their horses and equipments were 
returned together and they were soon Testored to dutv 
without trial. Lieutenant Stuart wrote me about them, 
in which he thanked me for my part, etc., and I ex- 
])lained the affair to him. 

In Augrust of the sauiu yem'^ )v}iej; en route to TJt.nh, 



302 FJyE TEARS A DRA&OON. 

I called at Major Sedgwick's camp, twenty-two miles 
west of Fort Kearney to pay my respects. Sergeant 
Byrnes told me that these two men were bound to see 
me but were afraid to trust themselves in the presence 
of their comrades, for fear they might show some feel- 
ing, and th-jy had walked a mile up the road to wait 
until I can e along. One of them was a Corporal, and 
there were no better men in the troop. They wanted 
to show how grateful they were for the manner in which 
1 treated them. I never saw them again, but always 
fo't glad that they fell into my hands. 

The commands that .started for Salt Lake in 1857, 
and wintered on Black's and Ham's Forks of Green 
Eiver lost nearly all of their stock, horses and mules, 
starved and frozen to death, and Captain Marcy was 
sent to New Mexico to procure mules and horses before 
any of the commands could move out of their temporary 
wdnter quarters. 

The conditions in Colonel Johnston's army were 
such that the Government saw the necessity of moving 
other commands to the front as promptly as possible. 
Great numbers of horses and mules were purchased at 
P^ort Leavenworth, many of the latter unbroken, and 
the task of organizing and breaking in trains fit to 
transport supplies for troops in the field was no small 
matter. 

At Two Mile Creek, below the fort, were located 
extensive corrals and a "catching-out" crew under ex- 
perienced "mule tamers," and here all mules were first 



FIYE TEARS A BRAaOON. 



303 



hitched to wagons and sent to camp some place within 
a few miles of the post. 

Mr. Levi Wilson, general superintendent of trans- 
portation at Fort Leavenworth, was the most efficient 
man I ever saw in 
the Govern ment 
transportation line, 
but his services 
w ere required in- 
specting horses and 
mules from the mid- 
dle of March to the 
last of May, 1858. 

I was notified to 
wind up the feeding 
business, and bring 
over mules from 
Platte the first of 
April, which I did. 
T h r e e trains had 
been organized and 
camped in Salt Creek 
Valley. The news 
that many men would 
be needed brought 
them from every di- 
rection; some, enterprising young men from the coun- 
try, ambitious to better their condition or work their 
way to the Pacific Coast; but there seemed an over- 
supply of the .off scouring of the slums — men leaving 

20— 




Levi Wilson, 
General Sup't of Transpcrtation. 



304 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

their country for their coimtry^s good. The variety and 
makeup of these fellows, many of them fleeing from 
justice, the arms they carried and their outfits generally, 
were curious enough. 

I was instructed to take charge of the trains. Many 
complaints had couie to Mr. AYilson against a train in 
the Valley^, and ho requested me to see to it and do 
whatever seemed best. 1 rode out and found a drunken 
mob — mules scattered, Jiarness in the mud, etc. The 
wagonmaster was asleen. A mouthy fellow called him 
"Captain,^^ and he finally crawled out. In a few min- 
utes I saw the utter uselessness of wasting time. He 
had come with a railroad gang from north Missouri, 
the most blear-eyed, God-forsaken looking set I ever 
saw. I told him that he and his men were wanted at 
the quartermaster's ofhce ; that tliey should take all 
their belongings with them, because they would not re- 
turn to this train. Incjuiries were numerous, l)ut 1 
(ILiietly cut tlicni off, and in half an liour they were 
stri'ug out, pool- wretches, with the "Captain" in the 
lerd. I ])r()misc'(l to meet them at the quartermaster's 
offi( f, and then rode down the creek a mile to another 
tri in, and asked the wagonmaster to give me his assist- 
ant, a fiue young fellow (Green Dorsey), and k)an me 
half of his nu'u. AVith tlicm T returned to tlu' drunken 
train, told Do-rsey to take charge ;is wagonmaster, liirc 
any men that came who suited him, and I would scud 
him more, but not to hire one (vf tlie old gang, and gal- 
loped to the ])ost in time to see them paid off. It wa< 
remarked at the office that such :i)i outfit liad iifver 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 3O5 

Ix'forc been seen there. T called tlie "Captain^' and 
]][<■ men a-side and advised them to seek employment 
elsewhere; that they had mistaken their calling, and 
were unfit for the plains, and assured them that not one 
would ever find employment here. The rain and scal'city 
of Hvhiskey had sobered them some, and they started for 
the Rial to Ferry and Weston. 

This incident spread among the trains and camps 
on the reservation, and I told every wagonmaster not 
to hire bad men — we did not want to he bothered with 
them; and it was soon understood that thieves, thugs 
and worthless characters generally ndght as well move 
on. Many of these found employment in ox trains he- 
longing to Government contractors, and were the cause 
of strikes, mutinies and loss to their employers. Of 
course, there was no civil law applicable to the man- 
agement of men on the plains. In a military command 
the officer in charge was all-powerful, as he must he 
everywhere within his jurisdiction. Necessity knows no 
law, and while all well disposed men would perform 
their duties without friction, the lawless element, sure 
to crop out from time to time, stood so much in awe 
of the military power that they did little harm to their 
fellows or th^ Government. Where there w^as no military 
command the same restraint did not exist, and discon- 
tented spirits, schemers and rebellion hreeders often 
caused trouble. The Government trains had more dis- 
cipline than the contractor's trains transporting Gov- 
ernment supplies. The Government train had a sprink- 
ling of discharged soldiers, and the man in charge had 



30G 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



himself been amenable to discipline and could not hope 
to hold a responsible position without maintaining it. 
H'C must be a law unto himself or fail. The great con- 
tracting firms that transported Government supplies sent 
numerous ox trains to various military posts, and while 

they had a good 
business system, 
and often accom- 
p 1 i s h e d worlv 
much better than 
t h e Government 
would have done, 
yet the immen- 
sity of the busi- 
ness left room 
for many leaks 
and much defect- 
ive managemient. 
I recall many in- 
stances of mutiny 
— the teamsters 
in r e b e 11 i O' n 
a g a i n IS t their 
wagonmasters, in 
some cases possi- 
bly with a grievance, and in others through home- 
sickness or the spirit of rebellion tliat recognizes no 
authority, always ready to make trouble, delighting in 
the opportunity to become leaders for more pay, or to 
sliow their j^ower when their services were most needed. 




BvT. Maj.-Gen. Stewart Van|Vliet. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 307 

Interesting details would be tedious here, and I 
pass them by. In short, by the first of June more than 
six hundred six-mule teams, one-half of the mules 
never before handled, were organized into trains of 
about twenty-six wagons each, and about five hundred 
and fifty of them sent out with columns of troops en 
route to Utah. The whole months of April and May 
were exceedingly wet, no bridges in the country, and to 
move the first one hundred and fifty miles west from 
Fort I^eavenworth was something terrible. Captain Van 
Yliet, ciuartermaster, had a bridge built across Salt 
Creek three mues out. The stone work of that bridge 
still stands. 

The first column to move out was Colonel An- 
drews, with Sixth Infantry, Lieutenant Sawtelle, R. Q. 
M., with eighty-two six-mule teams. They were three 
clays going the first ten miles. 

Between Government and contractors' trains, the 
road had been made almost one continuous mudhole. 
One hundred and fifty contractors' teams were strug- 
gling in the mud within twenty miles. 

On the 20th of May, Colonel Morrison's column 
with Fourth Artillery moved out. Captain Page, quar- 
termaster, with 104 teams, 99 horses and a few ex- 
tra mules. 

On the 28th of May, Colonel Monroe's column with 
Third Artillery, Captain Cable, A. Q. M., moved out 
with ninety-seven horses, ninety-two teams and a few 
extra mules. 

On May 30th, Colon-el Sumner, First Cavalry, with 
Lieutenant Gtrknd, Seventh Infantry, A. A. Q. M., 



3f,S FIVE YEAfiS A DRAGOON. 

]iijOved out with eighty-eight six-mule teams and fifty- 
six extra horses. 

June 5th, Colonel May^ commanding fifth column, 
with Lieutenant Mclntyre, R. Q. M., moved out with 
fifty-eight teams, seventeen extra mules and sixty horses. 

June 12th, Major Emory's column, with Captain 
W T. Turnlcy, A. Q. M., moved out with sixty-nine 
teams and a few extra mules. 

June 12th, General Harney and staff moved out, 
(Viptain Hancock, quartermaster, with headcpiarters of 
the Utah expedition — forty-two six-mule teams, eight 
four-mule ambulances, twenty-three extra mules and 
fourteen extra horses. 

The seven columns used twenty - six wagonmasters, 
twenty assistants, 641 teamsters, extras and expressmen. 
In addition to the above, each column was supplied 
with four blacksmiths, one wheelwright and a traveling 
forge hauled- by eight mules. 

The above transportation was to go to the end of 
the journey, and in addition a train loaded with forage 
and provisions for each column was sent in advance 
to Marysville, crossing the Big Blue, to replenish the 
stores consumed and then return to Fort Leavenworth. 

In sending out trains with the different columns, 
great pains was taken to see that men, mules and 
wagons were as near the best as it was possible to get, 
and when the last train was off to Utah, the remnants 
/)f trains scattered about within ten miles of the Forr 
were sifted and reduced to perfect trains ready for 
service in ^ny direction, surplus mules and wagons 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



309 



turned in and inefficient wagonmasters and i;ien dis- 
charged — a general cleaning up. 

July found Fort Leavenworth as quiet as if prepa- 
ration for the Utah campaign had never been. Half 
of the month had slipped away, when I was summoned 
to the quarmasters office and informed by Chief Clerk 
Card (now Colonel B. C. Card, retired) that the 
clothing and some 
other winter sup- 
plies for the Utah 
army had not been 
shipped and now 
it was toa late to 
ship by contract- 
or's trains and 
must be sent by 
mule teams ; that 
the goods in bales 
and boxes werv 
now en route 
from the East, 

would take 
one hun- 

s i x-m u 1 e 

to haul 

These 

maist 1)0 




and it 
nearly 
(1 r e d 
'teams 
them 
trains maist be -^rA.ioij-OKXKHAL Wixfield S. Haxpock. 

made ready and loaded as soon as the goods arrived by 
boat, and I would be expected to go in charge of them. 
I had no ambition ^o go, but the man who has good pay- 



310 FiyE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

ing employment cannot afford to mix much sentiment 
with it. 

If I could have retired with money enough to settle 
down for lif e^ I would have done so ; but now I banished 
everything but the idea of successful delivery of those 
gocds in Utah. There was one consolation, it would be 
my train, I was assured, independent of interference 
from any source. If I beat the winter in reaching the 
troops, 1400 miles away, it would be to my credit; and 
commanding officers and quartermasters along the route 
would be instructed to lend me any assistance possible. 

When the goods arrived, it was found that three 
trains of twenty-six wagons each would take them — 342 
boxes and 910 bales. 

John Allen's train with William Daniels, assistant 
wagonmaster (who helped me capture the Cheyenne the 
year before), and thirty-one teamsters and extra hands 
loaded July 31st, and with traveling forge, wheelright 
and blaeksmith, moved out with instructions to go as far 
as last camp on Little Blue, forty miles east of Fort 
Kearney and await my arrival. 

John McGilvra's train with Hamilton assistant wag- 
onmaster and thirty-one teamsters, loaded on the 1st of 
August and moved out, ^vith instructions to join Allen. 

John Wilson's train with Peter B. Jackson (son of 
the governor of Missouri, a young man in search of ad- 
venture, which he found) assistant wagonmaster and 
thirty-one teamsters, loaded on the 2d of August, and 
with two young Mexicans with cavayard of fifteen extra 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOOIf. 31 1 

mules, moved oiit fifteen miles and camped at Mount 
Pleasant, where I overtook it at midnight. 

The month of July had been very dry, and the roads, 
with, the exception of numerous mudholes, pretty well 
dried. 

Before leaving Fort Leavenworth I was instructed 
to look at all contractor's trains overtaken on the road, 
note the number of wagons, number of train, what load- 
ed with, appearance of train, condition of cattle, how 
many lost or died, and name of wagonmaster, and inform 
the quarterma-ster at Fort Leavenworth every opportun- 
ity I had of mailing a letter. To save repeating, I over- 
took ox trains almost daily from start to finish, most of 
them contractors' trains, most of them well managed, 
and cattle in as fine condition as shortage of grass would 
permit; others in every stage of neglect. Up to Fort 
Kearney losses by death, had been few, but the farther 
west, the greater the losses. 

Traveled with WilsoQ^s train until 5th. 

August 6th. With my mess wagon left Wilson. 
Traveled forty-five miles, making three drives, and camp- 
ed five miles east of Marysville with Colonek J. S. John- 
jt^ns train, en route to Leavenworth. 

7th. Found McGilvra's train at Marysville. Allen 
crossed her6 the 5th. 

8th. Wilson arrived. Took on corn and camped 
west of Big Blue. All trains took forage here. Left 
two men, E. K Quintin and Philip Sawyer, at Marysville 
»ick; a Dr. Miller was to look aiter them. 

9th. Met five government teams en route to Fort 



312 r'lyE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

Leavenworth from Kearney. Changecl twenty-one mnles, 
taking the best. 

11th. Overtook ]\IcGilvra and camped on branch of 
Little Blue. Wilson joined later. 

12tli. TSventy-five hundred Pawnees, men, women 
and children, passed east, running from the Sioux, with 
Avhom they had a battle. Some losses on both sides; 
Sioux got most of the Pawnee horses. 

13th. T\venty-two miles, and found Allen camped 
on Little Blue. The other trains came up, and all ready 
to move together to-morro... 

As heretofore stated, ihe early part of the season 
was extremely wet, the wh.ole country flooded, but July 
and so far in Aug-ust was dry and hot; rank and rotting 
vegetation created malaria, and there was an immense 
amount of sickne&s amongst the men of all the trains en 
route to Salt Lake. A train belonging to Russell, Ma- 
jors & Waddel, government contractors, lying by here 
with half the men sick, and, according to my instructions, 
1 examined the tiwn and found the wagonmaster to be a 
man Avhoui I had discharged in the spring because he 
was unfit for assistant wagonmaster. I was told that 
several of the men died. I reported by letter immedi- 
ately, and advised a new crew as quickly as possible, and 
reported the same to the agent at Kearney. 

Found a number of men sick in Allen^s train and a 
number of fever and ague eases in McGilvra's. My friend 
Or. Samuel Phillips, at Fort LeavenwQi'th, had fixed up 
a box of medicines with, carefully written directions, and 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 3l;j 

i proscribed for the poor fellows as best \ coiikl, several 
of whom needed hospital care. 

l-tth. Twenty niilefc?, and caiuped on Thinty-two 
Mile ('reek (head of Big Blue). Eight men in Allen's, 
six in Wilson's and one in McGilvra's trains sick. All 
wagonmasters and assistants driving teams. The out- 
look was discouraging. 

15th. Twenty - four miles and camped at Eight- 
Mile Point, below Fort Kearney. After prescribing for 
the sick men I rode to the fort, presented letters to Colo- 
nel May, commanding officer, and Captain Cabel, quar- 
termaster; called on Dr. Summers and explained the 
sickness in trains. He said that he never saw as much 
nuilaria and fever and ague as there was in the trains 
from the East. I spent the night \A'ith ]\Ir. Ben Bishop, 
forage master, who was first sergeant of "B" Troop, 
First Dragoons, before I joined it. 

16th. Trains arrived and drew rations to last un- 
til Ist of Septeml^er. Captain Cabel examined trains 
and seemed much pleased, (-hanged ten mules. On 
leaving Fort Leavenworth I took but few guns for 
guard purposes, and now drew fifty more, with ammu- 
nition. Dr. Summers was very kind to sick men, and 
prescribed for eighteen of them. Five were found un- 
able to travel and left m the hospital; I left their time 
with Capain Cabel. Dr. Summers overhauled my med- 
icine box, replenished it, and gave careful directions. 
Dr^w eighty sacks of corn jmd oats, and camped ten 
miles up the Platte. Hired three men to drive teams. 
]SIeed more, but thev are not to be had. 



314 FiyE YEARS A DRAGOON. ; 

18th. Hereafter the traveling forge will be ahead;, 
so as to be in camp first, ready for work. The wagon 
that hauls the blacksmith and assistant and the wheel- 
wright, and in wliich they sleep much during the day, 
travels next to the forge. Off as usual. Killed a buf- 
falo, the last one seen on the trip. Twent}' miles, and 
camped on Plalte. Many men sick. Assistant wagon- 
masters all driving teams. Issued rifles and ammunition 
1(0 teamsters. From this time I will make my close 
corral, as on the Cheyenne expedition. 

21st. McGilvra and assistant sick; also three of 
his men, one in Allen's, two in Wilson's, very sick. 

22d. Sick list increasing. Tried to hire men from 
returning freight train, but they can see nothing but 
home. They would rather be poor and "dance with the 
gal with a hole in her stockin'/' than to winter in Utah 
for a fortune. Every train had a cheap fidler sawing 
away by ^every cnmpfire on '^Money Musk," "Dan Tuck- 
er," "The Arkansaw Traveler," "Old Kentucky Home" 
and "The Girl I Left Behind Me"— no seductive $30 
a month for them. These fellows, returning home with 
$100 to their credit, were the most independent mil- 
lionaires that I ever saw. 

And now the wagons are giving much trouble. Un- 
til the Morn. on War, nearly all the Government wagons 
used at Fort Leavenworth were made in Philadelphia 
— "The Wilson Wag, n," so called — and they were ab- 
solutely perfect. On the Cheyenne expedition I did 
not have a tire set nor a box wedged. The wagons in 
my Utah train were of Pittsburg . make, and now on. the 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 315 

sandy and dry roads showed that they were hastily put 
together with timber not properly seasoned. Boxes and 
tires came loose, and eome must be wedged every even- 
ing after coming into camp. From now on to Camp 
Floyd tbe road was strewn with broken wagons and 
dead cattle, and the labor and wear and tear to keep 
my wagons together was something terrible. During 
each day pieces of pine from broken wagons were 
Faved for use in wedging boxes and tires, and midnight 
found me and some others still at work. For awhile we 
rolled some wheels into the water and let them lay all 
night to tighten them up, but on the hard road in the 
hot sun they soon dried out. 

One day I found a Mormon train setting tires. The 
old man in charge had a crippled ox killed, skinned, 
and the hide cut into suitable strips and stretched 
around the felloes and tacked on^ with wooden pins. 
The tire was heated enough to expand it, but not enough 
to burn, and then put on over the raw hide. The tire 
cooled and shrank on tightly; the hide dried and made 
the fit still tighter. I stayed long enough to see that 
it was a success, and proceeded to adopt the plan. Ev- 
ery day the Mexicans witli the cavayard drove along 
any abandoned cattle able to travel, and sometimes 
killed one for the brains and liver, and sometimes 
made soup of some of the meat. From time to time the 
hide was used as above described, and while not en- 
tirely successful in :all cases, it saved much wedging. 
The boxes in the wheels became loose and must be 
wedged, and gunnysacks and pine \\'«dges were used. 



;j,(i //I/; ypJARiS A DRAGOON. 

Men ill distress learn to do many things, and amongst 
one hundred men new ideas are evolved by some of 
them, oi"ten of great ^al^e. 

From my memorandum book 1 quote as follows: 

August 21st. Both wagoiimasters in McGilvra's 
train sick, also three teamsters; one man in Allen's 
train very sick, also two in M'^ilsoii's. 

22d. Passed O'Fallon's Bluff mail station and camp- 
ed twelve miles above on South Platte. Sick list rather 
increasing. In several cases one man walked and looked 
after two teams, while his comrade rested in the wagon. 
Surprising how little complaint there is, and how cheer- 
fully all try to help. 

33d. Men continue sick; as one gets better, an- 
other takes his place. 

24th. Met Colonel Bee at crossing of Soutn Platte 
with volunteer battalion returning from Utah. One of 
(.*olonel Bee^s teamsters transferred to Allen\s train iu 
exchange for a sick man. Colonel Bee's command has 
110 doctor. My train crossed Platte without accident, 
camped and greased every wagon ready to start in the 
morning, in crosising a wiae quicksand river the grease 
is all washed from boxes. The usual amount of sickness. 

25th. Fifteen miles to Ash Hollow Hill; nine more 
and camped on North Platte. Hardest day's work since 
h'a\ing Fort Leavenworth. Some mules gave out; 
obliged to come here to get grass, as there is none below. 

2(:)th. Tweive miles over a very sandy ro^ad. Hard- 
est (lav on mules; several gave out. When a mule can 
go no farther the team pulls out of the line and stops, 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 317 

the train keeping right on; the cavayard comes up, 
herder ropes a fresh mule which goes into the team, 
which takes its place in rear of the train. Twenty times 
to-day this has been done, and in several instances 
mules have been used twice. When the worn-out mule 
is turned loose he rolls, shakes himself and drifts along 
with the herd, eating grass and drinking, and in a few 
hours will do duty again. His vitality is wonderful. 

27th. Ten miles over a heavy sandy road. Eifect 
on mules similar to yesterday. Met Russell, Majors & 
W^dde-l's train en route to Nebraska City with discharged 
men, but I could not hire one of them. With money 
enough to buy a suit of jeans, pair of boots with a half 
moon and some stars on the tops, a wool hat and a 
blanket for an overcoat, and some silver in their pock- 
ets, why should they turn their faces to the mountains, 
sure to encounter cold weather and the possibility ot 
not coming back until next year? To him it matters 
not that he could clear money enough to hwj a quarter 
flection of fine Missouri land amd capture the girl whose 
"heel kep' 'er rockin'," whom he could see afar off in 
his mind^s eye. There were no charms behind that he 
cared to tui*n to, and he looked across the prairie to 
the "cabin on the creek" away over in Missouri. 

28th. Medicine nearly all consumed. Fifteen miles 
and camped on Platte. Colonel Cook, Lieutenant Bu- 
ford and small escort of Second Dragoons camped near 
inc. They give bad account of grass. 

29th. In Allen^s train, Patrick Laaghnahan died 
this morning at 5 o'clock. He ought to have stopped 



318 FITS YEARS A nRA&OON. 

at Kearney, but was anxious to go on, and the doctor 
thought he might pull through. A heavy rain fell dur- 
ing the night, and trains took road next to the bluffs 
instead of river road. I rode ahead of train eleven 
miles to some springs about three miles east of Chim- 
ney Eock, where there were some ponds called ''The 
Lakes.^^ Last night^s rains would fill them, and I might 
get some ducks. I found plenty of them, and with n\y 
double-barreled shotgun killed a lot. I waded into the 
water and was in the act of picking them up when ni) 
horse snorted and ran the length of his lariat. I lost 
no time in getting to the picket pin and put my foot 
on it. Here came a band of Indians at full charge, 300 
yards away, and I motio'ued them to stop and brought 
down my gun. (I did not tell them it was empty.) 
Tl ey came down to a walk, but I insisted upon their 
stopping, which they finally did 150 yards away. Care- 
fully I got to my hors€, into the saddle and unsnapped 
the lariat from the halter. The chief started towards 
me, bow and arrows in hand. I had learned to not 
trust Indians, and made nim stop 100 yards away; ho 
finally rode back and gave his bow to another, and 1 
let him come up and shake hands. Together We rode 
to the top of the hill, where we could see the train 
coming two miles away. There were but ten in the 
band, and ''Little Thunder' was the chief. I had met 
him several times and called his name. He harangued 
his followers, and pointing to me said: "Eton-cha, kola/' 
meaning "Chief, friend," whereupon all grunted and 
moved towards us, but I instantly called a halt, and they 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 3I9 

all clismoimted and waited until the train came up. "Lit- 
tle Thunder" wanted something to' eat, and I told my 
cook to give him "hard tack," and pointing to where 
I would camp, north of Chimney Eock, invited him and 
his hand to dine with me. They came at dinner time 
and feasted, hehaved well, and shook hands to go at 
5 o'clock. Laughnahan had heen prepared for hurial 
hy heing sewed up in a wagom cover four double in a 
very neat manner by Mr. Allen. His grave was dug 
and he lay beside it. When the Indians rode by and 
stopped to look, one of the men thought he would 
frighten them by telling them that the man died of 
small-pox, and he succeeded. I came up just as the 
Indians were about to ride away; they thought that 
they had been invited to a camp to be exposed to that 
dreadful disease, of which they stood most in fear. 
"Little Thunder" looked sharply at me, and taking my 
knife I ripped open the cover and removed the white 
hamdkerchief, revealing the pale, smooth face, and suc- 
ceeded in inducing all of them to come close and look 
carefully. I explained to them as best I could the cause 
of the man's death. They stayed until the burial was 
finished. The man who had lied to them kept hid in 
a wagon; he was scared more than were the Indians. At 
Laughnahan's grave was placed a board marked: "Pat- 
rick Laughnahan. Died x4ugust 29, 1858." I sent 
Laughnahan's memoTandum book and some letters 
found on him to Captain Van Yliet, quartermaster at 
Fort Leavenworth. Mr. Hamilton very sick; others 

more or less so. 
21— 



320 FI^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

30th. Met Colonel Alexander and Lieutenant Men- 
adier and Captain Marcy and Lieutenant Grover en 
route to the States. They doubted my ability to get 
through on account of scarcity of grass. 

September 2d. Arrived at Fort Laramie and de- 
livered letters to Colonel Monroe commanding, and 
Major Babbitt, quartermaster. Drew 28-4 sacks of corn, 
185 sacks of oats, and camped above the Fort. Dr. 
Johns prescribed for twelve sick men. 

3d. Exchanged twenty-eight mules, all I could find 
here better than mine. Drew rations for 101 men forty 
days. Changed two wagons. Left two sick men, Nel- 
son Story and Mike Flood, in hospital. Nelson Story, 
a friendless youth of twenty, got well, found his way 
to the Pacific Coast, drifted to Montana, mined, and 
finally got into the cattle business, prospered in cattle, 
mines a,nd banks, and was a millionaire a few years ago. 
I have never seen him since we parted at Laramie, but 
hope he still lives to enjoy his success. I do not know 
Flood's history beyond the fact that he got well. He 
wais a fine Irish lad, and probably met with success.* Dr. 
Swift, of the army, was very kind to my men while; 
here; overhauled my medicine box, replenished it, and 
gave careful directions. 

One man asked for his "time," which I refused to 
give. Every man had signed a contract to go through 
to Camn Floyd for thirty dollars per month, whereas, 

*I am informed by Hon. James A. McGonigle, who was 
an officer in the First Kansas, that Mike Flood was among the 
first killed at the battle of Wilson's Creek, in 1861. He was a 
member of the First Kansas.—/*. G. Lowe. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 321 

the usual wage was twenty dollars, and if I gave one 
man his time, more than half the train would want to 
go, and men were not to be had to take their places. 
Gold had been discovered near Pike's Peak, 250 miles 
south, and some soldiers had deserted to go there, and 
if the men could get a month's pay, many would de- 
sert me, and I was obliged to be severe and draw the 
line. This man complained to Major Babbitt and to 
the commanding officer. When spoken to about it, 1 
requested that he and any others who wanted to be 
discharged be placed in the guard house. In an hour 
this man was arrested and in the guard house when I 
left. This prompt action ended all complaints. 

I was sitting on a box in front of my tent writing, 
when my attention was attracted by some one in front 
of me. There stood a man with an army size revolver 
on his belt and leaning on a long rifle. He was thirty- 
five years old, big, broad-shouldered, long hair and whis- 
kers, unkempt and dirty, vicious and desperate looking. 
I never saw a more repulsive looking creature. I in- 
quired what he wanted, to which he replied that he 
wanted employment; was a mountaineer by profession, 
and wanted to go through to Camp Floyd. Ordinarily 
I would have said "Fo," but I needed healthy men so 
badly that I called to Mr. Wilson and said that if he 
could use this man to hire him, which he did. I shall 
have occasion to mention him again. 

Left Fort Laramie September 4th. Traveled ten 
miles. Tl-ains alternate in traveling — the front train 



322 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

to-day will be the rear train to-morrow, the middle train 
having moved to the front. 

This divides the hardships in the way of dust and 
rough roads. The wagon master of the front train has 
charge of the herd until midnight, and the assistant 
from midnight until time to corral the mules at day- 
light. Each train furnishes two teamsters to herd dur- 
ing the first half and two the last half of the night, so 
that there is a wagonmaster and six teamsters on herd 
at the same time. Mr. Hamilton being sick, I relieved 
McGilvra at midnight and found the mules very litthi 
trouble. And now we have very little sickness among 
teamsters. 

6th. Rained during the night, turned to sleet and 
then snow, and by 10 o'clock we had six inches. Pulled 
out facing the storm. Ten miles to camp on North 
Platte. Cleared off cold. Killed ten sage hens. All 
well in trains except Mr. Hamilton. Found an aban- 
doned Government wagon and took from it three wheels 
and both axles to take the place of some of mine not 
so good. 

8th. Camped on Box Alder. When the trains rolled 
in one man had four mules and a big ox with rope on 
its horns for leader. We drove along with the herd any 
oxen able to travel, and used some of the gentle ones in 
harness, always in the lead. 

12th. Arrived at Fort Payne where there is a 
bridge across the Platte Eiver. Two companies of 
Fourth Artillery here, Captain Roberts (called by his 
intimates "Jo Bobs'') commanding — a fine officer. I 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 323 

had taken fifty sacks of corn from a contractor's train 
the day before against the protest of the wagonmaster, 
who felt he had no right to let me have it. The coun- 
try was almost destitute of grass and I could not hope 
to get through without feeding. "Well," said Captain 
Roberts, "I have no authority to advise you, but if you 
do not use forage and lots of it, you will find yourself 
snowed in and stock frozen to death before you reach 
Bridger, just as the commands were last winter. I 
would advise you to run no risk that might prevent 
this clothing train getting through." This sounded like 
the right kind of talk. I wanted to feel that officers 
along the route would be ready to justify me. Six 
miles above Fort Payne crossed North Platte. 

And now we are in the "poison springs" country. 
We have water kegs for drinking and cooking purposes, 
and animals are not allowed to touch water other than 
the North Platte. Passed several more oxe trains; one 
train had lost seven to eight cattle per day. I pro- 
nounced it alkali poisoning, and advised driving two 
miles to North Platte as I did and herd them away 
from every suspicious looking pool. One man, George 
Chrisman, had done that and his cattle looked well and 
his losses few. 

14th. Camped near Red Buttes and traded my 
tired horse with a Frenchman who keeps a trading post 
here, for an excellent saddle horse. Have mules herded 
two and three miles from camp outside of where cattle 
have grazed. A train corralled here drove cattle five 
miles to Platte for water and grass. Wagonmaster said 



324 FIVE TEARS A VRAGOON. 

he was losing a day, but was filling his cattle and losing 
few. Hot days; mules suffering for want of water, which 
they must not have until they can be driven to the 
river at night. 

15th. Camped within two miles of Sweet Water. 
No grass, but fine water, and mules browse among the 
grease wood and sage brush. Our mule shoeing in- 
creases as we move over the hard roads, and every man 
who can nail on a shoe is in demand. Killed two 
sage hens. 

16th. Crossed Sweet Water on bridge at Independ- 
ence Eock. Mail station here. Camped above. 

17th. Eighteen miles and camped on Sweet Water, 
opposite Split Rock. Contractor's Train No. 62 camped 
just below me. Examined train, asked the usual ques- 
tions, and finally asked why he was lying by, and how 
long he had been there. Three days, and because he 
and "the boys" had a dispute about guard duty, the 
hour of starting in the morning, and a few other little 
matters — the old story of a train without a head. I 
told him that I would try to send some one with a crew 
to drive this one out, and let them "hoof" it back with- 
out pay. (Bluff, of course.) Two hours later here came 
the train and went five miles beyond me to camp. The 
next day they traveled so well that I did not overtake 
them, and the next day we camped near together. The 
wagonmaster said that three of the men knew me. They 
were of thic "Captain's" drunken train, whom I dis- 
chairged in the valley. 

The desperado hired at Laramie proved to be such 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 325 

an incorrigible scoundrel that Wagonmaster Wilson told 
me he would have to give Tip control or kill him. He 
boasted of having killed two men, and was an overbear- 
ing bull}^ I told Wilson to let him herd the mules; he 
would not care for a team, and cursed and abused mules 
and men. When the mules were turned loose I told him 
to drive them north and save the grass near camp for 
night. Some time had passed — mules all loose and graz- 
ing around camp. I called to the man and asked if he 
did not understand what I told him. He yelled back: 

"Well, ^eni, ain't they goin' ?" I then told 

him to come to me. I was in the act of washing in 
a bucket, clothes all off to the waist, and my cook stand- 
ing near ready to hand me a towel. As he came saun- 
tering up the slope towards me swearing viciously, I 
noticed him slip his pistol to the front. When close to 
me I asked what he meant, when he drew his pistol. 
Quick as lightning I caught liis hand with both of mine, 
jerked the pistol from him, and with it struck with all 
my might on the top of his head. He fell as if shot 
through th.e brain, and quivered as if in a death strug- 
gle, while blood flowed freely. A dozen men came with 
knives or pistols, and begged me to step aside and let 
them "finish him." I waved them back and had him 
carried to my tent, got out my medicine box, gave him 
a. swallow of whiskey (here a man said, "What a shame 
to waste the whuskey!''), and with scissors cut the hair 
along the edges of the worst scalp wound I ever saw. 
A thin sliver of bone came off. While two men held 
his hands I took seven stitches, and with strips of 



326 ^^^'^ TEARS A DRAGOOl^. 

court-plaster drew the edges together the best that I 
could. In the meantime the man revived, and in an 
hour was semi-conscious. I let him lay in my tent un- 
til my cook made him some tea;, and he was able to walk 
to the wagon, where he slept on sacks of oats. How he 
rallied from such a wound was a mystery. The next 
day we passed a trading post, where a vicious looking 
lot of fellows were loafing, and when the wagon in 
which my man was riding got opposite to it he asked 
the teamster to stop, got out his few effects, and said 
"good bye." After coming into camp the mule that I 
rode during the day was turned into the herd, and my 
horse saddled and bridled and hitched to my mess wagon 
ready for use. He ran in the cavayard during the day. 
As this desperate scoundrel approached, he determined 
to kill me, mount my horse and escape, with all the 
glory that would be showered upon him by his class for 
murdering the chief of that big outfit. That was the 
way I interpreted his conduct. AVhen I seized the pistol 
it was cocked, and notliing but my quick action saved me. 
20th. Camped on Sweet Water. A dragoon ser- 
geant came riding into camp and said that he was part 
of an escort en route to the States with some officers 
who had learned that I had a forge, and they wanted 
to get a few shoes set on an ambulance team. He said 
the officers were Major Sibley, and Lieutenants ISTorris 
and Bell of the Second Dragoons. I asked him to say 
to the Major that I would be glad to do anything for 
him that I could, and showed him a good place to 
camp near my Sibley tent. In half an hour they came 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 327 

in. I knew Norris and Bell very well, and was intro- 
duced to Sibley; I invited them to share my tent, which 
they did. I had instructed my cook to get up as good 
a dinner as he could, and they dined with me. Of course 
we talked of both ends of the route, but during a lull 
the Major remarked that he did not remember having 
met me before, and was pleased with the cordial man- 
ner in which I had told the sergeant I would be glad 
to do anything I could for him. I told him that there 
was a reason beJ:iind all of it, and went on to state that 
"once upon a time, etc.,^' a young man came to his re- 
cruiting office in Boston to enlist. That he, the Major, 
had advised the youth against such a step, told him the 
consequences, the position in which he would place him- 
self, the probable estrangement from family and friends, 
and finally, after putting him off some days, enlisted 
the youth against his, the Major's protest. "That was 
nearly nine years ago, and this my first opportunity of 
showing my gratitude for good advice and the kindly 
manner in which you treated me; and I never sleep in a 
Sibley tent without thinking of you." "Are you the 
young sailor with good clothes and hands so soft that I 
would not believe him?'' "Yes sir." "Well, now, will 
you please tell me how you got through with your enlist- 
ment, and how you happen to be here?" Of course T 
sketched a little of my life, which has been told in former 
articles. 

These officers advised me to "rob" every train that 
I found with forage; that my train was of great impor- 
tance; that no effort or expense should be spared to ge- 



328 F"^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

it through. I lost four mules in a week. In grazing the 
short grass the mules eat too much saline matter, which 
causes them to drink too much water.' 

21ist. Twelve miles to where road forks, right hand 
over "Kocky Eidge Koad/^ left hand over "Semino's Cut- 
off"; took the latter up Warm Spring branch three miles, 
and camped at Springs. Took three hundred sacks of 
oats from Contractor's Train No. 23, and shipped seven 
bales of store tents and tent poles by same train. 

22d. Camped at Cold Springs. Camped here was 
Contractors' Train No. 23. It left Fort Leavenworth 
the 17th of June; had much trouble with wagons; some 
wheels broken down — iron axle wagons. Contractors 
and nearly all big freighters crossing the plains used 
wooden axle wagons made by Murphy or Espenscheidt of 
St. Louis, or Young and others of Independence, Mo., 
and were able to carry their 6000-ponnd loads anywhere. 
I gave the wagonmaster all the information that I could 
about repairing his wagons, but he iseemed much dis- 
couraged, and there was a want of confidence look about 
the men — a sort of awkward helplessness, that made an 
excuse for them to lie by a day at a time. The appear- 
ance of this train caused me to appreciate the cheerful 
helpfulness of my own men. No matter how hard the 
day, how warm or how cold, there was a cheerful taking 
hold, early or late, that kept everything up to date and 
moving; no sulking, no growling — all that had been left 
more than 600 miles east. The men were as anxious to 
get through as was I, and all had worked into the habit 
of helping wherever their services were needed. One 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 329 

wa.o^onmastei, Mr. Allen and two assistants, Mr. Jackson 
and Mr. Hamilton, were new to the severities of such a 
trip, hut they acquitted themselves excellently, and soon 
hecame equal to veterans. Many of the men had much 
to learn, but they came to time under discouraging cir- 
cumstances and often severe illness. The vim, push and 
energy in one of my trains, under either of my wagon- 
majlters, would have landed the contractor's train in 
Camp Floyd before this time. 

While commenting on the contractors^ trains, I will 
say the firm of Russell, Majors & Waddel was a wonder- 
ful organization, and while a small percentage of their 
wagonmasters were by inexperience and want of charac- 
ter unfit for positions of authority or responsibility, a 
large majority of them were in their line of business the 
"salt of the earth," possessing unusual courage, perse- 
verance, good judgment and business ability, and remark- 
able in the management of men. 

23d. Grossed South Pass and camped five miles 
beyond on Pacific Springs Creek. Contractors' Trains 
Nos. 21 and 22 camped here; Nos. 24 and 15 passed on. 

24th. Eight miles to Big Sandy. TW-elve more and 
camped on Little Sandy. Passed trains Kos. 48, 51, 54, 
20, 24 and 25. Took from Train No. 20, John W. Hall, 
wagonmaster, 170 sacks of oats. 

25th. Crossed Green River at Bateese trading post. 

2Gth. Eighteen miles to and along Black's and 
Ham's Forks of Green River, and camped on the latter. 
This day has been along the route where Hundreds of 
mules and horses were starved and frozen to death last 



330 FI^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

winter. At one place several trains of six-mnle teams 
stood tied to the wagons. Tlhe latter had been hauled 
away, but the mules lay just as they died, their dry skins 
stretched over their bones, some lying on one side, some 
with their feet under them, and som^e standing in a brac- 
ing position, generally two on each side of where the 
wagon stood and two behind — dead horses and mules for 
miles. This was Camp Scott. There is a bridge here 
guarded by fifteen soldiers. 

27th.. Crossed Ham^s Fork twice and then Black^s 
Fork, and camped. Left train and crossed Smithes Fork 
at Jack Eobinson'is trading post and came on to Bridger. 
Called on the commanding officer, Colonel Canby; stop- 
ped all night and took dinner and breakfast with (-aiitai • 
P. T. Turnley, quartermaster, and his chief clerk, Mr. 
.John E. Brooke (now Lieutenant/General Brooke, retired). 

Captain Turnley opened my papers, addressed to 
the senior officer of the quartermaster's department in 
Utah, and Colonel Canby directed me to turn over to 
Captain Turnley 120 bales and two boxes and six sets 
tent poles. Train came up and camped at noon of 28th. 
Got hay from Captain Turnley. The whole train unload- 
ed, turned over packages ordered and reloaded. One 
man left here sick. One discharged on 14th for miscon- 
duct, but allowed to travel with the train without pay, 
was left here — a wiser if not a better man. 

29th. Thirty years old to-day. Colonel Canby 
and Captain Turnley say there is no grass from Bridger 
to Salt Lake, 120 miles, and not much from Salt Lake 
to Camp Floyd, forty-five more. Captain Simpson of 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 331 

the Engineers had laid ont a road from Camp Floyd to 
Bridger, following the Monnon road through Timpano- 
gas Caiion, from the head of which he threw np mounds 
on high points a short distance apart, so that starting 
from Bridger one could follow the line of mounds nearly 
100 miles to the head of Timpanogas or Prove Caiion, 
and then through the caiion to its mouth, near which 
Timpanogas or Prove Eiver flows into the lake of the 
same name, and thence through the towns of Battle 
Creek, American Fork and Lehi to Camp Floyd. Neither 
Government nor contractors' trains had gone that way, 
and bunch grass was fine. Neither Colonel Canby nor 
Captain Tumley would advise me, but I thought they 
leaned toward the new route, and I reasoned that if 
snow-bound where there was plenty of grass I could win- 
ter, and the goods could be hauled in from time to time, 
when the weather permitted. So that it was a perfect- 
ly smooth road by Salt Lake 165 miles to Floyd, with no 
graiss and half rations of corn or oats, or about the same 
distance on an entirely unbroken road, through sage 
brush nearly one hundred miles, with the same com and 
oats, and fine grass, about thirty miles through a crooked 
canon, and the balance an ordinarily good road. 

Launched out on the new road. Traveled eight 
miles over sage brush and camped on branch of Black's 
Fork of Green Eiver; mules exhausted; plenty of grass 
and fine water. After dinner started out to explore 
some distance ahead. Soon struck a trail and followed 
it about four miles and very unexpectedly came into the 
old road from Bridger to Salt Lake. Biding along by 



332 Ft^'^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

Sulphur Springs, I met Major Prince, paymaster, who 
was just from Camp Floyd. He came through Timpano- 
gas Caiion, over the divide to Weber Eiver, down river 
to mouth of Echo Caiion, thence through the canon to 
where I met him. He wrote in my memorandum book a 
minute account of the route, distances, water, grass, etc., 
and advised me by all means to go through Echo Canon 
and take the route he came. From his account I felt 
very much encouraged. About forty miles would take 
me to and through the caiion, and from that on I woulc^ 
have fine grass. 

30th. Took the trail down to the old road, crossed 
Bear River and camped ten miles beyond. In a canon a 
mile from camp I found fine grass. Narrow way to enter, 
and no one seemed to have discovered it. In the night 
found a herder asleep, turned his mule loose and brought 
in his saddle and bridle. 

October 1st. Ten mites to head of Echo Canon; ten 
more and camped in middle of caiion at ''Ten Mile Rock." 
Rained in afternoon, turned to sleet and then to snow; 
no grass; fed oats. 

2d. Six inches of snow. Ten miles to mouth of 
caiion; mai] station. Turned to left and crossed Caiion 
Creek. Took new road up Weber River two miles, and 
camped on it. A party of men cutting hay here for mail 
station. Finer grass never grew, and the mules are mak- 
ing up for shortage last night. Left two mules here 
unable to travel — ^effects of storm and freeze. Snow all 
gone. 

3d. Ten miles and camped where road leaves to 
cross the divide between Weber River and Silver Creek, 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



333 



A signboard here says seventy-three and a half miles 
to Camp Floyd. Ox Train No. 60 following me camped 
below; twenty wagons; six have been abandoned for 
various reasons. 

It was estimated that between Kearney and Camp 
Floyd there were abandoned chains enough, if straight- 
ened out, to reach the whole distance, but this is doubt- 
less an exaggeration. Hundreds of wagons, Govern- 
ment and contractors', were strewn the whole distance. 
The carcasses^ of cattle, horses and mules were scattered 
by hundreds. Ranchmen got rich by picking up aban- 
doned stock, driving it away from the main traveled 
■road, and waiting until the next season to trade their 
recuperated stock for a new crop of broken-down ones 
and a good price to boot. 

4th. Divide between Weber Eiver and Silver Creek 
is a small mountain, hard, firm road about eight miles. 
The first and .second trains passed over without doub- 
ling teams; rain began to fall, and the last train had to 
double, and were until 2 o'clock coming into camp on 
Silver Creek. Mules turned loose in fine grass, and 
soon filled themselves. Eain turned to sleet, and before 
dark we corralled the mules in a heavy snow storm, 
which continued until tow^ards mornino:. 

5th. At daylight opened corral and the mules 
came out (always the strongest first) quietly and scat- 
tered among the willows along the creek. Snow covered 
the level creek bottom fifteen inches. All but about 
thirty came out without much urging; they were down 
in the mud or had lost hope and the energy to move. 



334 FI^E TEARS A DRAGOON. 

Men got rope®, and all but two, which died, were got- 
ten onto their feet. A few hundred yards away was 
a side hill where the snow was blown off the grass, and 
the nrnles were driven to it. Men built good fires, took 
their time and got a good breakfast. The sun came 
out and snow melted rapidly. With willow brush men 
knocked snow and ice from harness and wagons, and 
at noon the mules were brought in and fed oats. After 
dinner the teams were hitched up, and slowlv the wagons 
rolled out of the muddy camp. About two miles away 
I had selected a camp on high, sandy ground, where 
the snow was mostly blown off and the little left was 
rapidly sinking into the sand. To this point the trains 
were moved, the round corral was built and the mules 
turned loose. The sun had done good work, mules 
had exercise enougn to get warmed up, and on i neigh- 
boring side hill facing south they found fine grass. 
The whole outfit was nretty well tired out, but every- 
body, even the poor mules, quite Lomfortable. 

6th. T^\^o miles to ton of hill and one mile down, 
steep and rocky, to branch of Provo Eiver, down iwo 
miles to main river. We were four hours making the 
next two miles; crossed the river or its branches five 
times; five miles farther, and camped on river; fine 
camp and plenty of grass. Snow nearly all gone. 

7th. One mule died; down river six miles, cross- 
ing it twice. Broke wagon bO badly that I abandoned 
it, having - ut the load into other wagons. Three miles 
to head of Tlmpanogas or Provo Carion; down caiion 
one mile aind camped. Plenty of grass. From 1 o'cloek 



Fl > E YEARS A DRAGOON- 335 

until sunset getting the last two miles. The road has 
been made along the side of the mountain by digging 
down the bank, sometimes through solid rock and build- 
ing stone, or wooden embankments on the lower side, 
thereby making an excellent road for the stiort teams 
of the settlers, two horses or two oxen to a wagon, but 
the curves a? a so short that a six-mule team could not 
make the turn. In some places we took olf the lead 
and swing mules and carefully w^orked around the short 
curves with the wheel mules and the help of men. It 
was very tedious, but if a wagon went over it would fall 
from fifty to one hundred a,nd fifty feet to the rocky 
river bed and carry with it team and driver. 

8th. Down caiion ten miles and crossed bridge. 
Two more and camped at its mouth. No grass. Eode 
to Provo City, five miles, and bought eighty-six bushels 
of wheat and oats, to be delivered at my camp at $2.00 
per bushel — wheat and oats same price. 

9th. We have left mountains and come into sum- 
mer weather. Six miles to Battle Creek settlement, 
three to American Fork, three more to Lehi; beautiful 
place, surrounded by an adobe wall, with wide gate at 
east and west sides. It was a lovely Sunday, and the 
whole town, men, women and children, in their Sunday 
clothes, crowded to the east side, covering the wall and 
crowding the gate to look at the long train as it wound 
its way along the road. I stopped to water my horse 
at the beautiful asaquia which seemed to encircle the 
town just inside the wall. A very intelligent man, who 
gave the name of Clark, entered into conversation with 

22— 



336 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



me, and when I inquired for a good place to camp, told 
me that just outside of the west gate was a good place, 




'-^....^ 



X. 




General Albert Sidney Johnston. 

and the only grass I would find east of Camp Floyd. 
Leaving Mr. Daniels, who was riding with me, to con- 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON- 337 

duct the train through the town, I galloped on and 
selected my camp, and by 2 o'clock we were comfortably 
settled. I told the man Clark that I would buy 100 
bushels of oats at my camp and pay the customary price 
in the country, $2.00 per bushel. I paid cash, and in 
buying a little more than 100 bushels I dealt with 
twenty people. Some families brought only two or 
three bushels on their backs, which probably repre- 
sented their own hand labor. I took a few bushels 
more than I wanted rather than see the poor people 
carry it back. 

10th. Train started early. My bridle was missing. 
Some one had stolen it while I was buying oats. Two 
mules lost during the night. 

Having crossed Jordan on bridge, the mules were 
watered, trains straightened out, and I rode on with 
Mr. Jackson to Camp Floyd, where we arrived at 10 
a. m., and I reported to Colonel Crossman, chief quar- 
termaster, who was glad to see me. He and every one 
supposed that my losses would be heavy in the big snow- 
storm, and probably I could only move a part of the 
train at a time. At headquarters he introduced me to 
Colonel Johnston* and Adjutant-General Porter, who 
remembered me from the year before. Expressmen 
had been sent out to look for me, but had not been 
heard from. Colonel Johnston asked if I had all that 

*When Albert Sidney Johnston was graduated, in Junb 
1826, he was entitled, by virtue of his rank in his class, to select 
which arm of the service he preferred. Had a cavalry corps 
then existed his taste would have led him to enter it.''— From 
William Preston Johnston's ''Life of Albert Sidney Johnston." 



338 ^I^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

T started with, and I told him I had, except what I left 
at Bridger by Colonel Canby's order. Train arrived 
and camped near springs out side of garrison. 

11th to 15th, inclusive. Unloading trains and turn- 
ing over wagons, mules, harness and other equipments, 
and getting clean receipts for all property in my charge. 
Thirty-four mules dead or otherwise lost, which were 
covered by affidavits. Colonel Crossman wanted all of 
my men who would stay to work at Camp Floyd, and 
I turned over to him a list including all except the 
wagonmastensi and assistants, wheelwright, blacksmith 
and eight teamsters — including myself, seventeen — who 
wanted to return. 

Selected two six-mule teams, wagons and covers, 
some extra wagon covers, my Sibley tent, four common 
tents, and complete equipments, for return trip; also 
four riding mules, one for myself and o»ne for each of 
the wagO'nmastefrSi. I was offered my choice of any mules 
at the camp, but I found none equal to my best, and my 
friend Jim Miller, who bad charge of the herds in Rush 
Valley, told me that out of 500 mules he had none so 
good. 

I was given the use of a desk in Captain Page's 
office while at the post, and while writing to-day I 
heard a man tell Captain Page that he had brought in 
a stray mule. A voucher was made and the man paid. 
As he was mounting his pony at the door I looked up 
and recognized Clark, and my lost bridle on his pony. 
I stepped out quickly, unbuckled the throat latch, jerked 
the reins from the man's hand and bridle from the 
pony's bead, and struck a blow on his rump with the 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 339 

bridle. He bounded off at a fearful rate, away across 
the parade ground, out into the country and out of 
sight. He was a fine rider and held to the saddle ad- 
mirably. I never saw him again. 

16th. Drew rations for seventeen men and forage 
for twenty - two mules ten days, supposed to last to 
Bridger. Two artillery officers. Lieutenants Howard 
and Talmadge, were ordered to Platte bridge, Fort 
Payne, and to accompany my party. They were al- 
lowed a six-mule team and spring wagon for transpor- 
tation, which I selected for them. Having no mess or 
servants, I invited them to join me, which they were 
glad to do. My cook was among those left at Floyd, 
but of the teamsters returning one Robinson was an 
excellent cook, and so far as food made of Government 
rations was concerned, we fared well. Three inches of 
snow to-day. 

17th. Lieutenant Talmadge has a white pony which 
he will use instead of riding in the wagon. The little 
train left at 9 o'clock. I got my papers, said ^^Good- 
bye," and with Talmadge left at 1 o'clock, coming into 
camp on east side of Jordan Eiver at 4, eighteen miles. 
Bought hay for mules; snowed all afternoon. This is 
one of my anniversaries; I enlisted in the army nine 
years ago to-day. 

18th. Out of camp at sunrise. TVenty-seven miles 
to Salt Lake City, where we arrived at 2 o'clock. Ar- 
ranged for corral room and as much bay as mules can 
eat for fifty cents each. Leaving our animals at the 
corral, Talmadge and I started out to see the city. 



340 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

Called on Gilbert & Gerrish, C. A. Perry, Livingston & 
Kinoaid, Bradford & Cabbott, Miller, Eussell & Cole. 
Dodson, agent for Hockaday's Salt Lake mail, etc. — 'all 
that we knew to be from "God^s Country," as we called 
the vicinity of the Missouri Kiver. Wagons arrived at 
5. Howard, Talmadge and I out about town. We were 
extremely anxious to- see Brigham Young, but Gover- 
nor Cummings had given stringent orders against any 
one seeing him. Dined at the Globe Hotel, kept by Mor- 
mons exclusively for Gentile boarders. Went to Mr. 
Gerrish's room and wrote until midnight, when the room 
was filled by G-errish, Brannan, Bradford, Miller, Tal- 
madge, Stewart and several others. I like to write the 
names of tbese bright young business men, so that they 
may be remembered by old friends. 

I 19th. Breakfast at daylight. Teams and party 
off at 8. Went to Gerrish's store and bought buffalo 
overshoes, and went around wich him to say "Good-by," 
and finally at 9 o'clock got out of the city. 

When four miles out on the "table'' took a fare- 
well look at the city. Great Salt Lake, etc. It seemed 
a pity to have come such a tedious journey to see so 
little of this interesting country. Five miles from the 
city entered Emigration Canon through the Golden Gate. 
Kough road. Seven miles to foot of Little Mountain, 
one mile to top of mountain. Snow two feet deep. Ten 
mules to each wagon; every one pushing; three trips 
must be made to get the wagons and things up. At the 
foot of the mountain a man was drunk. From the 
wagon I had him and all things taken, and found one 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 34I 

two-gallon and two one-gallon jugs of whiskey. I broke 
each of them on a wagon wheel, and that ended the 
whiskey part of the campaign. However much a few 
may have grieved, there were no tears nor protests. 

No grass, but some hay brought from corrals. 
Mules very tired. And now the prospect is that we will 
have a severe time during the 1,340 miles ahead of us, 
and no pains must be spared to keep up the strength 
of the mules. I brought from Floyd some extra wagon 
covers, and now have a half dozen of them brought out 
and each torn into four equal pieces, each one covering 
a mule all over. The mules, not being accustomed to 
this, offered some gentle protests, but we soon got them 
used to it. We had no twine, and used wooden pegs 
to hold on the strings, and used ropes partly untwisted 
to make soft surcingles of. Of course, the covers were 
only put on when mules were tied up, which would be 
nearly all the time during the night. 

20th. Night very cold. Off at sunrise. Two miles 
to foot of "Big Mountain,'' and one mile to top. Ten 
mules and full crew to each wagon; snow from one to 
two feet deep. Seven eight-mule teams belonging to 
Russell, Majors & Waddel came up from the other side 
with the help of ox teams; mules looking badly — scarce- 
ly able to walk. One mile down met Hobbs & Street's 
train — cattle dying rapidly. Two miles to East Canon, 
and three miles down and camped. Little grass. 

21st. Hereafter, for want of space I shall not men- 
tion any outfits, unless for special reasons. Nineteen 
miles and camped in corrals at Weber River mail sta- 



342 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

tion, mouth of Echo Caiion. Bought plenty of hay for 
mules, and some to carry along, of one Briggs, the 
station keeper (a seceded Mormon) who entertained us 
with many stories of why his wife would not leave the 
Mormons when he did. 

22 d. Olf early. Met Branning's train in middle of 
Echo Canon. Gilbert, wagonmaster, has lost 150 cattle 
since leaving the States; has been reinforced by forty, 
and eighty now await him above the mouth of canon. 
Snowing some. Made two drives, traveled thirty-two 
miles, and camped at sunset. 

23cl. Off at sunrise. Six miles and crossed Bear 
Eiver. Twenty-six more and camped at sunset on Mud 
Creek, having left the old road and crossed over to the 
new. Fine grass. Divided the clay into two drives. 

24th. Off at sunrise. Fourteen miles to Bridger, 
and although Sunday I had some mules shod. Drew 
forage and rations for fifteen days. 

25th. Finished shoeing mules and started train at 
noon. Salt Lake mad arrived with United States Sen- 
ator Broderick of California a passenger. Fourteen 
miles and camped on Black^s Fork. 

26th. Thirty-eight miles to camp on Black's Fork, 
where road leaves for Green Eiver — three drives. 

27th. Thirty-one miles to Sandy, and camped — 
two drives. 

28th. Off before daylight. Met fifteen six-mule 
teams hauling Salt Lake mail, coaches and ambulances. 
Ten miles and crossed Big Sandy, and lunched. Twelve 
more and again turned loose. Twelve more and camped 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 343 

on Pacific Creek. I must make short drives, and two 
or three of them every day. When mules are turned 
loose they roll, and pick whatever grass they can find. 
Having water always in kegs for cooking, I stop when- 
ever I find a patch of grass — water or no water — taking 
care that the mules are watered often en route. We 
have so many men and so few mules to care lor that 
it makes light work. Mules thoroughly rubbed every 
night and morning, especially their legs. 

29th. Off at sunrise. One mile from camp found 
Mr. Wilson, Attorney-Genen.l for Utah, in camp. All 
of his transportation for himself and wife consisted of 
one six-mule ambulance. Mrs. Wilson cooking break- 
fast for her husband, herself and the teamster. Fifteen 
miles farther, and turned loose an hour. Three miles 
to Pacific Springs, five more to South Pass. Eight 
more, and camped at dark on Sweet Water, one mile 
above mail station. Very cold and threatens snow. 

30th. Off at daylight over Semino's Cutoff. Made 
three drives ana camped Oi. Sa,£^e Creek at 4. Very coid, 
snow falling and indications of big storm. Arranged 
my three wagons in half circle on north side; cleared 
sage brush to give room for good camp, and so brush 
could not take fire and burn wagons; tied mules inside 
the semi-circle and fed them well on oats; stretched 
the outside wagon cover of each wagon to keep off most 
of the snow; built fires of big sage brush on the south 
and kept them burning all night; guard instructed to 
knock snow off wagon cover shelter occasionally. North 



344 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

wind blows fire away from camp, so that there is no 
danger. 

31st. Stopped snowing at daylight. Off at sunrise; 
snow drifted about the w^agons and shoveling necessary 
to get out. Five miles to Warm Springs, five more to 
junction of Eocky Eidge road and Semino's Cutoff, 
twelve more to the fifth crossing of Sweet Water. 
Turned loose an hour. Three miles farther and met 
Train No. 34. Took from it twelve sacks of oats. This 
train left Nebraska City on the 7th of September; beats 
any traveling that has been done on this road by ox 
trains. While down on one knee writing receipt for 
oats, I looked up and saw my victim of the scalp wound 
leaning on his rifie, as I had first seen him, and look- 
ing at me. At one side I noticed all the wagonmasters 
watching him. I asked the man what he wanted, to 
which he replied that he wanted me to certify to the 
time he worked, so that he could get paid when he got 
over into the valley. I told him that I never paid men 
for deserting me. The wagonmaster said that he joined 
back at the trading house where he left me, and asked 
about him. I advised not to trust him, that he was 
thoroughly bad. The poor fellow looked sick and moved 
off languidly. I felt so<rry for him, and though con- 
vinced that I was sparing the life of a viper, could not 
find it in my heart to kill the poor wretch. "He will 
meet you some day, and you will be sorry for sparing 
him," was the general opinion. 

November 1st. Off at sunrise. Half a mile and 
found two mail carriers camped by the road and three 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 345 

mules near by. These men lay asleep side by side, and 
fine snow had drifted over them. I told Talmadge they 
must be dead, and dismounting, raised the blanket from 
the face of each before they awoke; each sat upright 
at the same time, pistol in hand, ^'dazed but dangerous,^' 
Talmadge said. Self-preservation, active and prompt 
defense, was the first thing thought of. And they acted 
in concert, as one man, even before their eyes were open. 
With their mail sacks for pillows, these men had lain 
down at midnight. Their poor mules were hunting sub- 
sistence in a small willow thicket in a nearby canon. 
The men say they had to leave the mail conveyance at 
DevlFs Gate station 011 account of deep snow. Made 
two drives and camped at 4 o'clock. Snow ten inches 
deep on the level and more in drifts. Day fine but 
very cold. Under a steep bluff fifteen feet high, which 
broke off the keen, cold wind, snow more than a foot 
deep was shoveled away, the tents pitched and snow 
banked around them. Good fires, from parts of wagons 
picked up during the day, and a warm supper maae all 
very comfortable. The wagons placed in a half circle, 
the snow shoveled back from them, and mules standing 
in the circle, well fed with oats and small handful of 
hay each, with outside wagon covers stretched, as de- 
scribed at Sage Brush Creek, and the effect of fires, gave 
verv good protection. There was no real suffering for 
men or animals. A good deal of labor making this 
camp, and some time consumed, but a good night's 
sleep for all hands paid well for the trouble. 



346 FI^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

2d. Off at 8. Bright sun, and sun dogs indicate 
cold, and though we have no thermometer, I am sure I 
never felt a colder morning. Mail station seven miles 
off. After riding four or five miles, Talmadge and I 
dismounted to walk. There had been nothing over the 
road since the snow fell except the two mail carriers 
and their three mules. Even their tracks were drifted 
over and we found it, as Talmadge said, "beastly exercise" 
trying to walk, and stopped to rest. We were clothed 
from bear-skin cap to buffalo shoes and buffalo mittens, 
from underclothes to overcoats and leggings, with the 
best to be had, nd did not suffer except about the nose 
and face, which we were constantlv protecting with one 
hand. Looking back at the wasrons and mounted wa^on- 
masters, I knew that none were clothed as I was, and 
I saw that Mr. Daniels was riding as he had started, 
ahead of the first team; did not see how he could stand 
it. When he came up I asked if he was not cold, and 
why he did not change with some one for a while. He 
replied that he oould not get off his saddle, and had been 
hoping to reach the station, which was in sight. I told 
him the station must be two miles away, and to get down. 
He tried to, but had lost the use of his limbs, and I took 
him down against his protest that I was hurting him. In 
short, I caused all the mounted men to get inside of the 
wagons and give their mules to others. Having hurried- 
ly made arrangements, we started and made the best time 
possible to the mail station. It was a stockade of two 
rooms, one with a good fire and the other without a fire; 
adjoining was a small stable for mules. Leaving the 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



347 



teams standing on the .south side of the buildings, all 
hands came into the house and examinations commenced. 
Nine men were more or less frost-bitten, but none seri- 
ously except Mr. Daniels. I split his boots from top to 
toe; both heels and all of his toes were more or less froz- 
en. During the next hour his suffering was intense. 
Others had frosted toes, fingers or ears — some slight, 
others ^uite severe. The men were kept from the fire, 
and snow and cold water used at first, and then turpen- 
tine. I had a little, but the station keeper gave me the 
use of his big bottle so that I could save mine for future 
use. This station keeper stayed here alone, ready to 
feed the mail carriers and care for the mules between 
changes. He was a young man, intelligent and resource- 
ful — a manly man — and I am sorry that I cannot recall 
his name. He gave all of us a good cup of coffee, and 
having made the unfortunates as comfortable as possible, 
we pulled out after a delay of more than two hours, dur- 
ing which our mules had been covered. We could not 
stay there on the bleak plain, and must hunt a sheltered 
camp. Every day we heard of men being frozen; nearly 
every station had one or more sufferers. I was in the 
habit of condemning men in chairge of others for permit- 
ting them to freeze instead of compelling them to take 
care of themselves. I was nearly caught this time. 
Crossed DeviFs Gate bridge; very little snow below it. 
Fourteen miles and camped on Grease Wood. Mules 
turned loose amongst grease wood until dark, and then 
tied up and fed. Same arrangements as last night for 
comfort. Camp well sheltered and fuel piled up for 



348 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

night. Broken-down wagon timbers plentiful. All the 
invalids in my tent before a fine fire. All w^ere able to 
do something for themselves. Even Daniels did not com- 
plain ; he had the use of most of his fingers, and with his 
superb courage and nerve made the most of it. All seem- 
ed thankful that I happened to stop and think of them, 
and they never seemed to forget it. Talmadge, with his 
cheerful intelligence, was a great help; his companion- 
ship was charming. He was as brainy as he was kind — 
the son of the first governor of Wisconsin, and always my 
warm friend after this trip. He died at Old Point Com- 
fort, a captain, in 1862. 

3d. Somewhat warmer. Off early; snowing a little. 
Forty-four miles in three drives, and camped on North 
Platte at sunset. Got supper and carefully examined all 
the frost-bitten victims. They had been made as com- 
fortable as possible in the wagons, had stood the ride very 
well, and were pleased that they would so soon reach a 
doctor. Talmadge and I left camp at 9 o'clock and rode 
to Fort Payne, six miles, where we arrived at 10, and 
stopped at Mr. Clark's sutler's store. It was the coldest 
ride I ever made. Our animals were cared for, and the 
usual reviver, hot whiskey toddies, applied to us. I had 
not then learned that hot water was far better. Captain 
Getty, Captain Eoberts and other officers came to the 
sutler's store. We listened to the news from the East 
and they from the West until midnight, and slept at the 
sutler's, who was prepared to accommodate us. Tal- 
madge is at home, this being the end of his journey, and 
he will find quarters to-morrow. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 349 

4th. Breakfast with. Mr. Clark. No doctor here. 
Got some medicine from acting hospital steward. Train 
came in at 10. Lieutenant Howard stopped here; un- 
loaded his and Talmadge's goods. Fed all hay mules 
wanted, and made hospital wagon of the spring wagon in 
which Howard has ridden all the way. Drew forage to 
last to Laramie, said "Good-by," and started at 2. Eight 
miles and camped on North Platte. Fine day, but coiu. 
My tent a hospital; took in all invalids wno needed doc- 
toring from that tim^e to end of journey. 

5th. Twenty-seven miles in two drives, and camped 
on Box Alder. Invalids improving and being well waited 
upon by comrades. 

6th. Twenty-eight miles to La Bonte, and camped. 
In this vicinity hundreds of mules froze to death a year 
ago. 

7th. Thirty miles in two drives. Killed two moun- 
tain hens. Camped on Cottonwood. 

8th. Off before daylight and arrived at Laramie at 
11. Got mail from Mr. Fitzhugh. Train arrived at 3. 
Took on rations and forage for twelve days. I am re- 
ceiving congratulations from Major Babbitt and other 
officers for my (as they call it) "wonderful trip." Crossed 
Laramie and camped — plenty of hay. Dr. Swift ex- 
amined frost-bitten men. I advised Daniels to go in the 
hospital and stop here, but he strenuously objected, and 
the doctor said that inasmuch as he has no duties to per- 
form and had good care, he would be as well off traveling, 
perhaps better. 1 

9ih. Changed four mules, said "Good by," and 



350 ^^^^ I'EARS A DRAGOON. 

started at 2. Fourteen miles and camped on North Platte. 

12th. Camped at junction of Lawrence Fork and 
North Platte. 

13th. Off at 4 O'^clock. 01 course the mules must 
be tied to wagons at night, and towards morning they get 
chilled badly and suffer. I am traveling to make time 
and keep up the strength of teams as much as possible. 
Men can find plenty of time to rest; there are so many of 
as that it is no trouble to hitch and unhitch often. Thir- 
ty miles in two drives, and camped on North Platte. 

14th. Off at 4. Twenty-eight miles, and crossed 
South Platte; river low but good deal of ice. Three 
miles more and camped. 

15th. Off at sunrise. Thirty miles in two drives 
and camped. Killed prairie chicken. 

16th. Off at 4. Thirty-five miles in three drives 
and camped on Platte. Killed one pheasant. 

17th. Off at 4. Two drives and camped on Platte. 

18th. Off at 6. Thirty-five miles and camped nine 
miles below mouth of Plum Creek. 

19th. Twenty-two miles and camped at Fort Kear- 
ney. Drew rations for my party to last to Leavenworth. 
Drew forage for seven days and took an order for more 
at Big Blue. Changed three mules, and got three shod, 
and made ready to move in the morning. Daniels and 
two others had their sores dressed at hospital. Dr. Sum- 
mers kind as usual. He informed me that all the men I 
left sick recovered and returned to Leavenworth. 

20th. Off at 4. Three drives and camped on Thir- 
ty-two Mile Creek. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 35^ 

21st. Made two drives and camped on Little Blue. 

22d. Twenty-eight miles in two drives and camped 
on Little Blue. 

23d. Off at 5. Thirty-two miles in two drives to 
camp on Oak Creek. 

24th. Off at 4. Thirty-four miles to Marysville 
and camped on east side. A party of artillery officers 
from Laramie, Captain Brown^ Lieutenants Mendenhall^ 
Lee, Soloman and Abert, en route to Leavenworth, camp- 
ed here. Left Laramie two days ahead of me. Philip 
Sawyer and E. L. Quintin, left sick here last August in 
care of Dr. Miller, died. Promised to loan Lieutenant 
M'endenhall one of the wagonmaster's mules to ride with 
me, and we will try to ride to Fort Leavenworth in two 
days, 150 miles. 

25th. At 4 o'clock sent riding mule to Mendenhall, 
who breakfasted with me, and we were off at 5. Wagon- 
masters and teamsters will follow and be at the fort in 
five or six days. Gave Wagonmaster Wilson money to 
buy hay, and with plenty of corn, they do not have to 
hurry. We have passed all danger of freezing up for 
want of forage. Roads freezing and thawing and will be 
bad.) Mendenhall and I made sever(ty-five miles the 
first day, but it was terrible on him; not being used to 
riding, he became blistered and sore. A tub of hot water 
helped him some. I offered to wait until my wagons 
came up, and let him ride in the spring wagon, but he de- 
clared he could ride and would keep up with me. 

26th. Eain and sleet fell all da}^, and it was dark 
when we reached Mount Pleasant, fifteen miles from the 

23- 



352 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

fort. And we stopped at the little hotel. MendenhaH's 
principal stock in trade was sores and pluck — plenty of 
both. We made arrangements to have our mules ready 
by 5 in the morning, so we could ride to the fort for 
breakfast, which we did, arriving at 8 o'clock. Menden- 
hall stopped with Foraigemaster Mix, and I with my 
friend Levi Wilson. Mendenhall married Miss Sophie 
Mix that evening, in the privacy of the family, and I re- 
ceived announcement card the next day. My reception 
with all the quartermaster's department, from old Colonel 
Tompkins, deputy quartermaster general down, was ex- 
tremely pleasant; but relieved from care I began to real- 
ize what a strain I had been under for four months. I 
had made the round trip of 2800 miles in 117 days. Four- 
teen hundred miles going out in seventy days, equal to 
twenty miles per day with loaded teams ; six days at Camp 
Floyd, and returned 1400 miles in forty-two days, equal 
to thirty-three and one-third miles per day — all the way 
from Camp Floyd through winter weather. 

My egotism prompts me to make the claim that for 
distance traveled, loads hauled, scarcity of feed, inclem- 
ency of weather, time consumed in traveling, number of 
wagons and mules employed, smallness of losses, to say 
nothing of suffering and sickness among men, this trip 
has no parallel in the history of the plains. That was 
conceded at the time by my friends; and old Mr. Majors 
at one time, and William H. Russell at another, declared 
to me that "'twas a most .wonderful trip;" and two years 
later when I was freighting for myself, Mr. Waddel said 
to me: "If you manage for yourself as well as you did 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



353 



for Uncle Sam, you will be a great success/' And I 
want to say that in all of my experience, with the excep- 
tions mentioned, I never saw as little friction among men 
as there was in those constantly hard worked, over- 
worked trains. I doubt if such men could be mustered 
and held together to-day. 




PART IX. 

HAVING- passed the winter as usual, looking after 
tlie Government herds in Platte County, Mo., I 
took my place under Mr. Wilson in charge of 
transportation at Fort Leavenworth, but there was little 
to do — no Indian excitement, no niiovement of troops, 
and compared to previous years, there was much leisure. 
I became restless and conceived an ambition to do some- 
thing for myself, and the sooner I severed my connection 
with the Army and ceased to depend upon it, the better. 

I was past thirty years old and the last nine and 
a half years of my life had been wholly devoted to the 
Army in some capacitv, and I realized liow hard it 
would be for me to form business habits necessary to 
success in civil life. 

I made the acquaintance in Leavenworth of George 
W. Clayton, a young Philadelphian, who was in the 
mercantile line, and he proposed to form a co-partner- 
ship with me and "Jerry" Kershow, another young 
Philadelphian, who was doing a brokerage business, to 
make the firm Clayton, Lowe & Company, with a capital 
of $10,000, each one furnishing one-third of the capital. 
I to put my third in transportation, Clayton his third 
in goods, suitable to the mining trade in Denver, and 
Kershow his third in money. This co-partnership we 
entered into. I fitted out a nice train of six four-mule 

354 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 355 

teams, loaded the goods that Clayton furnished with 
his and Kershow's money, and on the 2d of July, 1859, 
left Leavenworth for Denver. Clayton went out on the 
Overland (Pike's Peak) Coach and when I arrived there 
the Ist of August, found him in a rented store room 
built of logs and adobe, by Morton Fisher, on Blake 
Street, east of 15th— then called "¥.'' 

All the way out I had met swarms of "pilgrims" 
returning to the Missouri Eiver in every stage of want 
and wretchedness, firm in the belief that there was no 
gold in the mountains — that it was all a myth. 

During the spring these people rushed out on to the 
plains, with no assurance of the future, some with good 
teams and outfits, some with patched-up concerns, of 
little value, some with pack mules, ponies or horses, some 
with hand carts, some with wheelbarrows, and hundreds 
with all their possessions on their backs, to travel 700 
miles to the mountains. Most of the latter class, who 
did not die of starvation and exposure, returned and 
were the first that we met. A few wheelbarrows and 
hand-carts did get through — twenty years later, a 
friend up in Central Park pointed with pride to his 
wheelbarrow, but I may safely say that nine-tentlis of 
all who started to the Pike's Peak Eldorado returned 
emptv-haiided, and in more or less distress. 

In Denver we found several adobe stores full of 
miners' goods and tools, and one train load was hesitat- 
ing whether or not to return the goods from whence 
they came. Clayton had been advised not to unload — 
it was no use — there was no money to buy them, they 



356 FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 

said. I dumped the goods . into the store, sent the 
train to camp, monnted a mule and rode to the ^^dig- 
gins'^ — Gregory, Nevada Gulch, Central City, etc. I 
spent two days informing myself. The prospect was 
not good but there was more or less gold, and some men 
much encouraged. On the morning of my third day at 
the mines great excitement was caused by the report 
that rich diggings had been discovered at "Tarry All" 
and "California Gulch." The report was undoubtedly 
true, for men who brought the news had returned to 
Gregory for tools and partners. I put my mule through 
forty miles to Denver by dark and found Clayton and 
a friend, Dan Smith, and a hired man opening goods 
wdiich were in demand; all night we worked, and for a 
month worked early and late selling goods. Denver, 
w^ith its periodical ups and downs, continued to prosper. 
In the meantime I set the train crew to putting up hay, 
which paid very well. Clayton took the coach for the 
the East to buy goods; I sent the train to Leavenworth 
to haul them out, attended to the Denver business and 
built the first frame store in Denver at the corner of 
Fifteenth and Larimer streets. I bought the two lots 
from General Wm. H. H. Larimer, his homestead and 
cabin, for $400. 

After seeing the train started from Leavenworth, 
Clayton returned on the coach and was much "pleased 
with the new store which I had moved into. Our goods 
arrived in good shape and sold well. 

I sold the train to J. W. Iliff, and in January, Clay- 
ton and I went east by stage, leaving the store with Mr. 



FiYE YEARS A DRAaOON. 357 

Ivershow. Clayton bought goods and I fitted out five 
ox-teams and six mule-teams; both trains leaving Atch- 
ison the middle of March. William M. Clayton, brother 
of George W., accompanied me with the mule train, with 
which we went through in twenty-four days, while the 
ox-train was forty-eight days en route. The goods were 
in demand and sold rapidly. We had them on the mar- 
ket ahead of any others for that spring. 

I sold the trains and "Wash^^ and I left the rem- 
nant of goods with William M. Clayton and went east 
— ^he to buy more goods, aaid I to fit out transportation. 

Clayton bought a large stock of goods, which I 
loaded as they arrived at Leavenworth and started them 
out in three small trains — thirty-six ox-teams in all, five 
yoke to each team, following myself with a young lawyer 
from Atchison named E. P. Lewis, with a pair of mules 
to my Concord buggy, our blankets strapped on behind 
and well armed; we carried a lunch and coffee pot, but 
took meals with a train whenever convenient, as we 
overtook them. Twenty-two days from Leavenworth to 
Denver and "lept in the open on our blankets behind 
the buggy every night — rain the day before we left 
Leavenworth and day after we arrived in Denver, but 
no rain between. 

I became very much attached to Lewis — he was 
bright, genial, companionable and kind. After a year 
or two in Denver he went to Montana, and after a brief 
stiuggie with adversity, committed suicide by shooting. 
That such a lovable man could have come to such an 
end was shocking. 



3o8 ^I^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

An incident of this trip should be related a.s proof 
that man's humanity to man will sometimes return to 
bother him. One night Lewis and I drove late, expect- 
ing to overtake one of the trains, but failing, camped 
by the roadside, picketed the mules and slept until sun- 
rise, when we found ourselves a few miles west of Cot- 
tonwood Springs and half a mile north of "Jack" Mor- 
row's ranch. Changing the picket pins to give the mules 
fresh grass, taking a good look up and down the road 
and seeing no one in sight, we walked up to the ranch 
to get breakfast. Morrow, the whole-souled, good fellow, 
greeted us cheerfully and ordered breakfast. Furnish- 
ing meals was a part of his business and he had a good 
"'prairie" cook. I stood talking with him about his new 
stockade corral across the road, when the gate opened 
and a man came towards us. I quickly slipped my pistol 
to the front, cocked and kept my hand on it. The man 
stopped, stared at me, and then passed on through a 
door and out of sight. Morrow noticed the movements 
of both, reached under the counter for his pistol and 
asked me for rm explanation. I told the man's name, 
why I knocked him in the head, etc. He was wearing 
the same pistol, but with a clean hickory shirt, looked 
much better than when with me. He was traveling 
under a different name. This was my third chance to 
have justified myself in killing him, but he made no 
move towards his pistol — wouldn't have had any show 
if he did — ^and I could not commit murder. Morrow 
said that he had a terrible scalp wound that did not 
seem to be entirely well, though it was made nearly two 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 359 

years before. He wanted to work and was hired the day 
before. I never saw him again. He was supposed to 
ha,ve gone with a team for timber in the cedar bhiffs 
near bv. The reader will recognize this as the man 
who attacked me on Sweet Water in 1858. Having fin- 
ished our breakfast, Lewis and I returned to the buggy 
and drove on. 

In December, I860, Clayton & Lowe dissolved part- 
nership, Lowe selling his interest to the Claytons, tak- 
ing in part payment a ranch and company cattle on Box 
Elder, twenty-eight miles east of Denver. We parted 
as we had always lived, the best of friends — a friendship 
that was never broken. 

My object in leaving the firm was to go into freight- 
ing on my own account, and so I severed my business 
connection with clear-headed, generous George W. and 
Wm. M. Clayton, both of whom accumulated great 
wealth, left an untarnished name, and died all too soon, 
universally respected in business and social circles. 

Eeturning to Leavenworth by coach in January, 
1861, six passengers were eight days and nights en route 
on account of deep snow from Fort Kearney east. Thir- 
ty miles east of Kearney, we were most of one night 
lost in snowdrifts. I got out and hunted the road for 
hours, and finally found the stage station at Thirty-two- 
mile Creek. It was the hardest night I ever experienced. 
"Jo" Chaffe, afterwards United States senator, was a 
passenger. I found a herd of mules in the hands of 
the trustees of the bankrupt firm of Eussell, Majors & 
Waddell, the great Government transporters, and bought 



360 FI^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

them — $10,000 wortli on six months' time without in- 
terest. I bought wagons, harness and other outfit, let 
it be known that I would start the middle ot March with 
fast freight, and merchants furnished all the loading 
that I wanted, at from 12 to 15 cents a pound to Denver. 
1 may truthfully say that my reputation as a successful 
freighter brought me the business. I left Leavenworth 
on St. Patrick's day, 1861, and went through to Denver 
in twenty-four days, with thirteen eight-mule teams, and 
cleared $5,000 in gold. 

I found that the Arapahoe Indians had raided the 
ranches along Box Elder, mine amongst them, burned 
my house, and killed a family on the adjoining ranch. 
The man in charge of my cattle, Wm. Riecke, heard of 
their coming and ran the cattle to Denver, and when I 
came in I found them near Golden City, safe. The 
Indians had left the country and the cattle were driven 
back and the house rebuilt. 

Mr. Hugh Kirkendall was my wagonmaster and a 
good one, and I sent him to Leavenworth with the train 
loaded with dry hides, which occupied him thirty days, 
while I returned on the coach in six days. 

And now the great Civil W^r was on and all along 
the border the animosities that had slumbered since 
'56 were again in full force — the line was sharply drawn 
between Union and Confederate. In Kansas it was all 
Union; in Missouri, very much mixed, and the peace 
and friendship of neighborhoods threatened. My "best 
girF' lived on the line of Platte and Clay counties, and 
I persuaded myself and the girl, and her parents too. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 361 

that it was best to get her away from such surround- 
ingSj and I urged the corLsummation of what we hoped 
might be brought about in the near future, so that on 
the 4th of June, 1861, I married Miss Margaret E. 
Gartin, a daughter of Andrew Gartin, Esq., of Clay 
County, one of the leading men of upper Missouri, and 
one of the best families in the State. I fitted up a 
Dougherty ambulanche, got a good campaign cook, and 
every convenience for the trip. The train came in and 
I had plenty of loading at 10 cents a, pound, which, when 
grass alone was required for forage, was equal to 12 
cents in March, when corn must be fed. The trip to 
Denver was uneventful. I had prepared a nice home 
in Denver and we moved into our own house. Besides 
extraordinary expenses, this trip cleared me $3,000. 

On the Box Elder Ranch I intended to winter the 
mules after making another trip, and my brother, P. C. 
S. Lowe, in charge of it, put up plenty of hay for that 
purpose. The train was standing on "F" Street, ready 
to pull out for the States, when Governor Gilpin offered 
me, through my friend G. W. Clayton, the lieutenant- 
colonelcy of the 2d Colorado. Thanking him, I ex- 
plained that I had just started in a money-making bus- 
iness a.nd could not afford to abandon it for the sake 
of showing myself in glittering uniform for a few days 
— that I did not think the war would last long, etc. He 
disagreed with me, and his words then spoken wert 
prophetic, showing an amount of forethought and wis- 
dom that has ever since commanded my admiration. I 
never met a clearer-headed man. The train returned to 



362 FI^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

Leavenworth under Kirkendall, and I returned by coach 
in time to meet it. For safety I camped on the mili- 
tary reservation for a couple of weeks. Organized gangs 
of horse and mule thieves overran the country — nine 
fine horses were taken from stables in Leavenworth one 
morning. Under the name of scouts they committed 
all manner of crimes. My friends advised me that things 
would settle down and become safer soon, but the sea- 
son was getting late a.nd merchants did not like to trust 
goods with mule teams liable to be run off at any time 
— ox teams were safer. A friend of mine, "Cliff" Barnes, 
of Independence, Missouri, had twelve six-mule teams 
run off. With the United States Marshal he overtook 
them below Lawrence, but it cost him half their value 
to get them back. 

I had married into a slave-holding family, and that 
alone was an excuse for so-called "scouts" and "red legs" 
to raid my train if they dared. For a week I stayed all 
night with my train, with the wagonmaster and others, 
expecting a raid, which did not come. Every morning 
I returned to the Planters' House and slept and in the 
evening rode back to the train. One morning I met on 
the Planters' House steps a man who came to me in 
1855 at Fort Eiley. He was then a mere youth. He 
had traveled with me from Utah in 1858. I had heard 
that he belonged to an organized gang of marauders, 
and determined to sound him I invited him to break- 
fast, and after breakfast to my room, where we spent 
two hours. He was a smart young fellow, capable of 
much good or bad and gave to me a list of thirty-two 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 353 

of the gang lie was associating with, claiming that they 
were honest patriotic scouts and assured me that none 
of them would bother my train. This man did no more 
work with his party after our meeting, but most of the 
party turned out to be the most consummate robbers 
on the border. My friend soon went east and occupied 
a lucrative position in and about Washington in trans- 
portation during the war. 

One day a gentleman whom I had never before met 
called on me. He was a militia officer, and after in- 
troducing himself stated that he had been instructed by 
the "Committee of Safety" to inform me that I must 
not move my train over into Missouri. Of course I was 
surprised and demanded by what course of reasoning 
he or the committee supposed I would do so. He was 
a thorough gentleman and much embarrassed at the 
position in which he found himself. I assured him that 
I did not blame him for delivering the message, but 
wished him to tell the meddlesome committee of safety 
that I would move my train when and where I pleased, 
and that if I ever saw either of those I happened to 
know about mv train I would have them shot like com- 
mon horse thieves, and wound up by saying that if he 
could think of anything else mean enough he might add 
it to what I had said. This gentleman and I became 
very warm friends, a friendship that lasted until he died 
thirty-seven years later. 

Major Easton, Quartermaster at Fort Leavenworth, 
advised me to sell my mules to the Government and 
return to Government employment again, until it was 



364 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

safer to do business, and I sold to him, paid all my debts, 
and returned by coach to Denver, sold my ranch and 
hay on Box Elder to the late John K. Faulkner, sold 
the cattle and mules left there, disposed of household 
effects, rented my house and with my wife and brother, 
returned to Leavenworth. I owned a good house there, 
into which we moved and had a happy home. 

Again the transportation business at Fort Leaven- 
worth was immense, and General East on asked me to 
take hold and help, which I did, fitting out trains, etc. 
I left $15,000 in gold in quartermaster's vaults at Fort 
Leavenworth for a year and a half, for safety, until I 
could see my w'ay clear to use it in business again. 

In July, 1862, came an order for 600 horses and 
120 six-mule wagons to be sent to Fort Union, New 
Mexico, and as I could leave my wife with a part of her 
family for company, I took charge of this big outfit. 

As soon as a train of teams was ready it moved to 
Fort Riley, a hundred and thirty miles, witli orders for 
the wagonmiaster to report his train to Captain Scott, act- 
ing quartermaster, for assignment to camp in that vicin- 
ity. As soon as a string of horses was ready it moved to 
Riley, the man in charge also to report to Captain Scott 
for assignment to camp. Five trains of wagons^ — a hun- 
dred ana four four-mule and sixteen six-mule — one hun- 
dred and twenty teams, and a traveling forge hauled by 
eight mules, and eighteen strings of horses (six hundred 
and fourteen), including some riding horses, comprised 
the outfit. When all were gone, I drove in my four-mule 
government ambulance to Fort Riley in two days. Pat 



Ul 






k! 
XJl 

O 

I— I 

02 



j(i*jl 



1^ 



^^. 



366 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

Devine, who had been my driver to Denver the previous 
year, drove for me now, and fed me as well as circum- 
stances would permit. If I lacked anything, it was not 
his fault. I slept in the ambulance every night from 
start to finish of the trip, except two nights that Captain 
Scott cared for me at Riley, one night that Colonel Leav- 
enworth cared for me at Fort Lyon and six nights that 
my friend Captain William Van Vliet cared for me at 
Fort Union. 

At Riley Captain Scott furnished me all the corn I 
cared to take. 

The object in sending four-mule teams was to get as 
many wagons to New Mexico as possible with fewest 
mules; mules could be boug'ht there but wagons could not. 
A big six-mule wagon is hard on four mules — jerks the 
leaders painfully and gives them sore shoulders. Six 
mules can haul 2,500 pounds with less injury to them 
than four mules can haul the empty wagon, hence as a 
supply train for the horses the four-mule teams did not 
amount to much. This I did not realize for some days, 
as I had never before tried four mules on a big wagon. 
We loaded about 2,500 to each six-mule team, 1,200 to 
each four-mule team, and two sacks of 112 pounds each 
to each horse-string, and the rule was to keep two whole 
sacks of corn in each horse-string wagon in case of any 
accident that might separate it for a night from the sup- 
ply train. 

There was in my instructions no limit to the time I 
should take to reach Union or to make the round trip, 
but the general understanding was that as the season was 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 357 

getting Late, the sooner the horses could be rlelivered, 
without too much strain, the better for them. They were 
not expected to gain flesh on the trip, and were always 
liable to accidents. Horses naturally travel more freely 
than mules, and hence the day's travel must, as a rule, 
be measured by the distance that the mules were able to 
make without injury to them. 

I may here describe a horse-string and manner of 
managing it. A three-inch thimble skein wagon was 
what we used, with double covers and wheel harness for 
pair of horses. An inch and one-half or two-inch rope 
is put through the iron at the end of the tongue and 
spliced. At the other end the rope is put through an 
iron ring and spliced. Aboiit eight feet apart from 
tongue to iron ring, strong rings were seized onto the 
rope. In motion a pair of horses are hitched to the wag- 
on, with which and the brake the driver manages it. At 
the end of the rope, another pair of horses are hitched to 
keep it straight. A man rides the near horse to manage 
the pair. Another pair of horses in the middle of the 
string, each wearing a collar, hames and back-strap with 
a chain hitched to the inside ring of each hame crossing 
under the rope to hold it up. A man rides the near horse 
of this pair to keep them steady. On either side of the 
rope a horse is tied to lead. Complete, the string may 
be made of any number of horses, according to its length ; 
in my case, there were about thirty-two on a string, in- 
cluding wheelers and leaders. The foreman and another 
rode horses, one on each side of the string, to be ready to 
dismount and assist in case of trouble. Horses were li- 

24— 



368 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

able to get badly hurt by getting a leg over the rope, and 
often the string must stop to shorten up if the horses 
Avere tied too long; so that a string crew consisted of 
foreman^ cook, driver, lead-rider, swing-rider, and out- 
rider — six men in all. The cook slept in the wagon dur- 
ing the day and must see that the other men's attention 
was not diverted from the horses to get something to eat. 
Each string crew had its tent, mess-kit and rations, five 
water-buckets and ten-gallon water-keg which must be 
kept full, a big maul, and wooden picket-pins with iron 
rings around the top. Having arrived in camp, the tirst 
thing to do was to picket the wagon-wheels, so that they 
could not be moved, then the cross-jacks, about thirty 
feet apart, made of one and one-half by three-inch hard- 
wood seven feet long, crossed and bolted together about 
one foot from the end. These were opened and set under 
the rope, as shown in the cut, raising it about four feet 
from the ground. In these the rope rests from the end 
of the tongue to the end of the rope, which is kept straight 
by another rope which extends from the end about ten 
feet farther, and is fastened by an iron-bound wooden 
picket-pin driven deep into the ground. To the picket 
line the horses stand tied as -they traveled, the halter 
straps being tied long enough to reach the ground to eat 
hay or corn comfortably. 

Always in camp the horses must be untied and led to 
water, unless the watering nlace is bad, in which case they 
must be watered from buckets. During the day they 
must be watered from buckets, if convenient; but if one 
trusts to men to water from buckets always some horses 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 369 

will suffer many times — partly the man's f anlt and 
partly because the horse never drinks as well from the 
bucket as when free to plunge his nose into the stream 
in his owii< way. 

Each horse - string wagon carried two scythes, a 
scythe handle and stone, and we had a grindstone in 
one of the trains. Grass in abundance was cut and put 
along under the picket rope so that every horse could 
have plenty. Great industry would be necessary to take 
these horses 752 miles across the plains in good shape, 
and we started with this understanding and kept it con- 
stantly in view. 

The mule trains left Eiley the 10th of September, 
1862, each traveling independently, with int;truction to 
camp on the Smoky Hill Eiver at Salina, then a mere 
stage station, until I came up. There was a plain road, 
but little traveled, and this the first Government train 
of any importance to pass over it. The Kansas Stage 
Company ran their stages over it to Fort Lamed, under 
the superintendence of my old friend L. G. Terry. The 
next day the horse-strings crossed Chapman's Creek, 
where I left them the morning of the 12th and overtook 
the trains at Salina that evening — thirty-nine miles in 
three drives. During the afternoon of that day I was 
asleep in the ambulance when Pat woke me and said 
there were two horsemen ahead going the same way 
that we were. I looked out, and as we drew near found 
them to be in soldier's uniform. A horse had been stolen 
from my back yard two days before I left Leavenworth, 
and one of these horses looked like mine. I told Pat 




t/ac/f '.fXJX TIj' 



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K. 






CDOO DODD 



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-a o 



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tin a 

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jy» Howm. 



FIYE TEARS A DRAGOON. 371 

to keep straight on by them until I told him to stop. 
When 300 yards ahead I got out and .stood in the road 
with double-barrelled shotgun. When within a few steps 
I told them to halt and asked if they had any arms, to 
which they replied in the negative, and seemed extreme- 
ly surprised at my action. They were mere boys and 
this their first taste of war, as they told me later. 1 
asked where they were from and where going. They 
were from Leavenworth and were going to Larned to 
join their regiment, the Ninth Kansas Cavalry. . In short, 
they enlisted under a rule to furnish their own horses, 
for which they were to be paid. I told one of them he 
was riding my horse, to which he replied that he had 
bought him in Leavenworth. I told him to raise the 
mane from the right side of his neck and if he did not 
find the letter "L" branded thereon, he could keep the 
horse and I would give him his value in money. He 
immediately said the brand was there, but he did not 
steal the horse, and I believed him, and invited both to 
camp with me at Salina and we would talk it over, which 
they did, and agreed to see me when I came into Larned 
if I would allow him to keep the horse until that time; 
to take him now would leave him afoot and he would 
be over the time allowed to report to his commanding 
officer. I was sure that the youth was honest and that 
he had bought the horse of one of the numerous horse 
thieves, or "red-legs" who shouted liberty and union 
while they robbed the people right and left. 

I found the train all right at Salina. The next day 



372 



FIVE YEARS* A DRAGOON. 



we would lie by until the horse-strings came up arul 
from that time on traveled together. 




General Langdon C. Easton.* 

About midnight a fearful storm of thunder, light- 
ning, rain and hail came up suddenly. I never saw a 

*Major Easton graduated at the Military Academy in 
1838. Hi- served in the Sixth Infantry until 1847, when he was 
made a captain in the Quartermaster's Department. He re- 
mained in the department until retired, Jan. 24, 1881. He was 
brevetted lieutenant colonel, colonel, and brig-adier general 
for distinguished and imporant service in the Atlanta cam- 
paign, and major general for meritorious service during the 
war. Died April 29, 1884. 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 373 

worse storm. All the wagonmasters knew that in any 
extreme case of that kind my rule was for every man 
to get out, pull the picket-pins and tie mules to wagons. 
I found everyone doing his best except in one train, 
and the assistant wagonmaster and half of the men 
were out, and all of the mules made safe. At Eiley 
this train had lost four mules, undoubtedly by neglect, 
and I made up my mind to dispense with the services 
of this wagonmaster. Morning came, and men were 
hurrying fires to dry themselves, the mules were all 
safe and being picketed out, when I saw the derelict 
wagonmaster crawling out of a wagon dry and comfort- 
able. I had some whiskey of my own, got it out, and 
with a little gill cup gave to every man who wanted it 
a "nip.^' All of the old timers took it. The dry wagon- 
master came to explain to me how he got all of his 
mules tied up before the hea,viest hail came, etc. I cut 
him off with the assurance that I knew that he was ly- 
ing, and he could not have any whiskey; he might take 
his mule and go back to Leavenworth and lie to the 
man who hired him, but if he took the mule he must 
take his "time" from me, in which I would state that 
he was discharged for gross neglect of duty and general 
worthlessness. He took it, and I wrote to Major Easton, 
quartermaster at Fort Leavenworth, a copy of his dis- 
charge. Henry Farmer came to me in 1855, and had 
been with me most of the time since. He was now in 
charge of a horse string at $45 per month, and I made 
him wagonmaster at $65. I did not have to lose any 
sleep for fear he would not do his duty. My wagon- 



374 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

masters were now John Wilson, who was with me in 
1858 in Utah, Eeed, Underwood, Farmer and Shehan. 

The horse strings came np all right; they escaped 
most of the heavy storm and had no hail. 

There was a family in Salina., and the nice woman 
had a few days before received a dozen chickt.ns, brought 
on behind the stage-coach from near Silver Lake. Early 
she was out looking for them; the rooster failed to crow, 
and there were no hens hunting crumbs at her door. Of 
course she was sad. I sent Pat to her house for milk 
and eggs and he found her crying. She told him of her 
loss, sent me two eggs, all she had, and a quart of milk. 
I was mad. For a family out here in the wilderness to 
be robbed of precious hens was too much, but I said 
nothing. Strolling about from train to train, I was look- 
ing for evidence of chicken thieves. In Eeed^s train 
they had tried to burn the feathers, but failed; there 
they were, half consumed in the ashes. I lifted the lid 
from a big bake oven containing three chickens. Reed 
was with me and much embarrassed. I told him that 
I would not look any further, he could do the hunting; 
and the first thing thing to hunt was a dollar apiece 
for twelve chickens, and not a cent less, which must be 
given to that woman, and if a cent's worth of anything 
was stolen from any one I would break up the whole 
outfit but that it should be righted. We had come from 
the border where thieves were stealing and robbing in 
the name of patriotism and liberty, but srch things 
should not follow my trail. I would not have it said, 
as was often said of commands passing through the 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 375 

country, that they stole everything they could carry 
away. Reed was a fine man, did not know of the steal- 
ing until it was done, and like many other good men 
at the head of a troop or company, did not realize that 
he should teach ''the boys'^ to protect people's property 
and not to steal it. The woman got her money and 
every man of my party a lesson. 

The 14th was lovely and we moved ten miles to 
"Spring Creek.'' This was the first camp where we had 
all been together, and I made it as I intended making 
it when campmg on a stream where there was room. 
Spring Creek runs from west to east. The first horse 
string crossed the creek, turned east and stopped; the 
next string passed beyond and turned the same way, plac- 
ing wagon and horse string about twenty-four feet be- 
yond the first; third, fourth and fifth go the same dis- 
tance beyond and face the same way — that is, five wag- 
ons in line facing the same way, the same distance apart. 
The sixth string goes past the rear end of the first five 
far enough to be out of the way of the last one and 
stops, fronting noTth; the next string obliques enough 
to place the wagon twenty-four feet beyond, west of the 
last one, and so on until eight wagons and horse strings 
front north. Then the fourteenth string passes west 
far enough advanced to be out of the way of the thir- 
teenth, the other following in like order until the camp 
stands thus: Five wagons fronting east, eight north 
and five west, all horse strings fronting out, rear end 
of wagons forming three sides of a square and river 
the fourth side. Inside of this square my ambulance 



376 FI^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

and traveling forge, and room to hobble or picket a few 
horses that had met with some accident or need extra 
care, or horses or mules waiting their turn to be shod. 
Always more or less horses were under special treatment, 
and this inside space was referred to as "the hospital." 
And now I made my big round corral two hundred yards 
in front of the long side of the horse camp. The camp 
is shown by the accompanying cut. The horse string 
tents are shown behind the wagons. The wagonmaster's 
tents were near the corral. And now the mules are 
turned .out with lariats on without picket-pins. All 
wagonmasters and twenty men besides myself mounted — 
the mules driven away ^rom the horse strings, for they 
were sure to stampede the first time they were turned 
loose. After circling around for a while, all settled down 
to grazing and there was no more trouble. A man led 
a gentle white horse with big bell on his neck, and the 
mules learned to follow him to the corral. After tw^o 
or three days the lariats were stored away in the wagons 
and not used any more. In the middle of the afternoon 
a large herd of buffalo came in sight, evidently going 
for water to Spring Creek, moving straight for our camp. 
They were moving toward the sun which blinded them 
so that they could not see the wagons until near to them. 
The mules were corralled quickly and the gap closed, 
guns were gotten out and a long skirmish line thrown 
out between the buffalo and the camp. After a good 
deal of shooting the buffalo sheered off and crossed the 
creek a mile west of the horses and continued their 
course until out of sight. Several buffalo were killed 



FIVE YEAR^ A DRAGOON. 377 

and many wounded. It was quite an exciting battle, 
but if not turned they would have been in our horse 
camp before they knew it, and the ruin would have 
been great. 

And here the rules foT the future were laid down: 
The mules would be herded, a wagonmaster or his as- 
sista.nt always on herd with ten teamsters, who stayed 
on nntil midnight and were then relieved and the mules 
corralled at early dawn, and any time in the night that 
there seemed to be danger; we must not be caught out 
in a bad storm; in fact, with the gray horse and the 
bell, they were very little trouble. All hands were roused 
at eicirly dawn and the mules fed two quarts of com each 
— no corn for the mules at night — the grass was good 
enough. The horses were fed two quarts of corn at 
night and green grass piled up under their picket lines; 
in the morning they were fed two quarts of corn each 
and groomed. Breakfast over they were watered, prep- 
aration was made for starting, and at 7:00 o'clock we 
rolled ont, the horse strings in front, the first string to- 
day the rear string to-morrow, and so on to the end; 
the trains moved in the same order following the horses. 
The horse strings naturally traveled a little faster than 
the mule teams, but where there was no danger of In- 
dians it made little difference if the trains were a little 
behind. If anything caused a horse string to stop, the 
others passed on and the delayed one fell in behind; 
the same M'ay if a team would stop for any purpose. All 
found their proper place in camp and there was no con- 
fusion. And here I made a rule that about two miles 



378 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

out of oamp horse strings wonld pull out of the hard 
road on to the prrass and stop ten minutes^ while the men 
readjusted anything out of place or attended to their 
own necessities. While waiting this ten minutes, three 
horses out of four would urinate. The mule teams must 
do the same way, with like results. The amount of suf- 
fering for men and animals therehy avoided cannot be 
estimated. 

On the 15th we moved twelve miles and again 
camped on Spring Creek, the same as yesterday. Only 
two or three buffaloes seen to-day. As soon as camp is 
established horses are led to water, and again after feed- 
ing corn and grooming. 

I am determined that these horses shall go through 
to Union in the best condition possible. We are a com- 
fortably provided for party, and men need not give way 
to carelessness and neglect because they are away from 
home. They fare as well as men do on farms and are 
much better paid, and must not permit things to go at 
loose ends because it is "Uncle Sam's" property. And 
here I will say that the men with me this trip were the 
best civilians that I ever traveled with. More than half 
of them had never been on the plains before; had been 
raised in good homes in Missouri, but on account of 
troubles growing out of the w^ar, when the news went 
through the country that this big caravan would go to 
New Mexico the best young men in the border .counties 
came. There was a singular reticence about them — ap- 
parent desire not to talk of themselves from the fear 
of being condemned for rebels if they hailed from Mis- 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 379 

souri, and all tliQ way to New Mexico and back there 
was a quietness unnsiial on the plains. The men were 
young and willing to do right, and among the nearly 
three hundred with me there were no quarrels, no jar- 
rings. Two youths in adjoining horse strings fell out 
and drew pistols. I rode in between them and made 
each bring his pistol to me, and each tell his grievance, 
which amounted to nothing, and I lectured them; told 
them of home, family and friends. I stated to them 
that it was no unusual thing in civilian outfits going 
long journeys for men to fall out and some one be killed, 
and assured them that no one would be hurt with me. 
I would allow no man to ill-treat another, especially such 
men as they were. I was going to send them home to 
Missouri wiser and better men, and here and now they 
must shake hands, which they did. I did not tell them 
so, but imagined each one felt his honor vindicated by 
showing pluck enough to draw his pistol, and his van- 
ity was satisfied. 

I pass my daily journal because too voluminous. 
Crossed the Smoky Hill at the stage station called Ells- 
worth, where Fort Harker was afterwards built. I never 
rode in my ambulance during the day from Salina to 
Union, with two exceptions. I rode one horse during 
the day and had another one saddled to use after com- 
ing into camp. Each horse string had a man on guard 
the fore part and another the last half of the night, 
whose duties were to walk up and down the horse string 
and be ready to attend to a horse that got his foot over 
the rope or in any other trouble, so that the string crew, 



380 ^^^'^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

including foreman and cooks, were on guard half of 
every night. I had a man to ride all night from one 
horse string to another around the corral out to the 
herd and every point about the whole camp, with in- 
structions to report to me if there was anything wrong, 
if a watchman was asleep, or any one neglecting his 
duty. He slept in a wagon nicely fitted up during the 
day. His name was John Gartin, and I never saw his 
equal for faithful endurance. 

I was instructed to go this route because it was 
suppoised to be much nearer than by the old Santa Fe 
trail. I arrived on the high ground overlooking Cheyenne 
Bottom and was surprised at its extent — ^an expanse of 
about ten miles of bottom with a mere trail but little 
traveled and apparently wet. I could not plunge into 
that without examining it. I had an inkling that there 
was such a bottom, and had ridden some miles ahead of 
the horse strings, and now wrote a few lines to the man 
in charge of the first string telling him and all to halt 
here until my return, put it on a stick and stuck it in 
the ground. I kept an assistant wagonmaster with me, 
and we rode across the bottom to a good camp on the 
west side and back in about three hours. I determined 
to take the horse strings across, but if I got the loaded 
wagons into that bottom and it should rain, which was 
threatening, I mjight wallow in the mud indefinitely, 
and so I instructed the trains to corral. If it rained I 
would have to go south to the old Santa Fe trail. The 
horse-string wagons were so light that I could risk them. 
,The horse strings crossed ali right, and were in a good 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON, 331 

camp on the west side before dark. I was off in the 
morning early, reached the trains by starting time and 
led them over the bottom, and on across Walnut Creek, 
the horse strings coming in a little later. The next day 
we passed Pawnee Eock, and crossed Pawnee Fork at 
its mouth (where now stands the town of Larned) and 
camped on the west side. I was told when I left Leav- 
enworth that a strong escort would be ready at Fort 
Larned to accompany me all the way through to Union, 
and I sent a man from my Walnut Creek camp with a 
letter to the commanding officer at Fort Larned, ap- 
prising him of my approach and requested that the es- 
cort join me en route and save delay. I knew that ev- 
ery mail carried, from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Larned, 
something upon that subject and had reason to suppose 
that the escort would be ready. It was eight miles out 
of my way to go by Larned and I wanted to avoid it. 
Captain Eeed of the Ninth Kansas, commanding Fort 
Lamed, with my messenger met me at camp, where I 
learned that there were few troops at Larned and they 
hardly initiated as soldiers, and all that he could pos- 
sibly spare would be Lieutenant Dodge, of a Wisconsin 
battery, and twenty-five men of the Ninth; he would 
select the very best that he had and they would be well 
disciplined with a good officer. After lunch we drove 
in my ambulance to the Fort and saw the escort which 
would move to join me early in the morning. I knew, 
and so did Captain Eeed, that I would have to pass 
through the whole Kiowa and Comanche Nations, camped 
along the Arkansas in the vicinity of where now stands 



382 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAOOON. 

Dodge City, and the sight of 600 fine horses passing 
close would be a great temptation to possess themselves 
of some. I ought to have an escort of 500 men, but they 
were not to be had. Be it remembered that an Indian's 
weak point (or strong point) is horse; horses, scalps, and 
squaws are what contribute to his happiness and make 
life worth living. Captrin Eeed said that the young man 
with my horse had reported to him and was in trouble. 
He was sent for; I believed him honest, and wrote and 
gave him a bill of sale (or rather "a bill of gift"), 
reading : 

'^I have this day presented to Private , of 

Troop, Ninth Kansas Cavalry, one small bay horse seven 
years old, branded L on right side of neck, said horse 
having been previously stolen from me at Leavenworth 

and sold to said , who was an innocent purchaser. 

(Signed) "P. G. Lowe/' 

To say that the young man was greatly relieved 
would be putting it mildly. I liked Captain Eeed im- 
mensely and am sorry I do not know his career. 

The next day we moved up to near where is now 
Kinsley, and Lieutenant Dodge and command joined us. 
His party were well mounted, and from iirst to last 
Dodge and his men were to me all that that number 
could be. Having no mess or servant, I invited Dodge 
to join me, which he was glad to do. He placed his men 
wherever I asked him to and relieved me of much care 
all the way through. My horse-string men were armed 
with revolvers and teamsters with muskets, and I in- 
spected them carefully and saw that they had plenty of 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 283 

ammunition. The next morning, a short distance from 
camp, we met Company F, Second Colorado — about 
seventy-five men under Lieutenant Weis, of Denver. 
They were on the way from Fort Lyon to Larned to 
report to Captain Reed. "Billie" Weis was a fine saddler 
and worked in the shop at Fort Leavenworth a number 
of years. On the Cheyenne expedition he went with me 
as saddler, and was of much service fixing up the pack- 
trains, and went with them. On the Utah expedition he 
was my cook to Camp Floyd. When I went into business 
with Mr. Clayton he went as cook to Denver and cooked 
for our mess until we set him up in the saddlery busi- 
ness, and now he was a good officer, commanding as fine 
a company of men as I ever saw, every man a pioneer, 
experienced in everything that makes a man on the 
plains or in the mountains self-supporting — all recruited 
in Denver. I knew several of them, and was introduced 
and shook hands with the whole company. I wrote a 
note to Captain Eeed requesting him to order Lieuten- 
ant Weis to join me and go all the way through, and 
told the Lieutenant where I would camp and wait for 
him to join me, for I did not want to reach the Indian 
camp until he did join. He had wagon transportation, 
could make good time, and he was as anxious to go as 
I was to have him. At early dawn the next morning 
John Grartin called me and said that Lieutenant Weis 
wanted to report. Here he was with his company twenty 
hours after he left me. The distance traveled to Larned 
and back to where he joined was sixty-five miles. I told 
him to let his men sleep as long as he wanted to; I 

•26- 



384 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

would only move ten miles and camp two miles east of 
the Indian camp. I had ridden up and selected my camp 
the night before and would not move early. We moved 
out about 9 o^clock and camped on high ground near 
the junction of the Dry or Coon Creek route and the 
river road. For miles along both sides of the Arkansas, 
commencing two miles above my camp, were Indian 
tepees with numerous inhabitants. My camp was care- 
fully made, as it always was, and abundance of grass 
collected. Dodge's men picketed the high points. Weis 
came up and was assigned a position just west of the 
horse strings. A line was designated for the sentinels, 
and all of his men put on guard, and no Indian allowed 
to cross the line without my permission. Hundreds 
came, but only two, Satenta and Lone Wolf, were per- 
mitted to cross the line, and they stayed and dined with 
me and Lieutenants Dodge and Weis. "Joe'' Armijo, 
who had been with*me nearly five years, was my inter- 
preter; all of the Indians understood Mexican. I left 
the impression upon the minds of these chiefs that the 
soldiers were asleep in wagons and that those on post 
were only a few of what we had. Each teamster placed 
his musket so that it stuck out from under the wagon 
covers. I impressed upon them that while we did not 
believe the Indians would purposely annoy us, the curi- 
osity of young men, women and children might cause 
them to come too near, frighten the horses and give us 
trouble, which could be avoided, and they could see the 
big train pass by just as well at a little distance — a few 
hundred yards away. They promised that all of their 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 335 

people would observe my wishes and I need feel no un- 
easiness about it. 

I had traveled two horse strings and two wagons 
abreast during the last two days to keep them more 
compact, as was always customary on the Santa Fe trail 
from Walnut Creek to Bent's Fort. There were two, 
three and sometimes four well broken roads for many 
miles through the Indian country along the Arkansas 
Eiver, from the west line of what is now McPherson 
County to Bent's Old Fort, and now I rolled out three 
abreast, six horse strings long and three wide; forty 
mule teams long and three wide. Muskets protruded 
from under the wagon covers, soldiers were wide awake 
and plain to be seen. Dodge rode ahead with me with 
a skirmish line of a dozen of his men spread out wide, 
indicating that none must come inside of this width, 
while the balance of his men picketed the hills. For 
one who knew the curiosity of Indians under such cir- 
cumstances it was remarkable how by thousands, men, 
women and children observed the promise the chiefs 
had made the day before. For more than ten miles 
these people trudged on foot, or cavorted about on 
ponies on either side of the train, never approaching 
nearer than 200 yards. When we had traveled more 
than twenty miles and started up over the Seven-mile 
Journadaj most of them were out of sight; but the two 
chiefs referred to and a few others came to shake hands 
and say good-bye. Armijo conveyed to them my thanks, 
and I had a barrel of hard bread and small sack of sugar 
gotten out for them. 



386 



FIVE VEARS A DRAGOON. 



Seven - mile Journada was a rugged bluff running 
down to the river, very broken — a good place for an am- 
bush. I explained to Dodge, who rode ahead with his 
skirmish line and examined every break. There could 
be no traveling abreast, there being but one hard grav- 
elly road only wide enough 
for one wagon. All horse 
strings and wagons returned 
to single file and we reached 
the Arkansas Eiver and Cim- 
arron Crossing in safety, 
went into a fine camp at the 
end of the thirty-five mile 
drive, without stopping to 
water. Fortunately the day 
was cloudy and cool. It is 
hardly necessary to tell how 
eager the horses were for y" 
water and how, when turned 
loose, the mules rushed into 
the river to drink and roll 
on the sandbars. Possibly I ^°^- '^^^^^ ^- Leavenworth * 
could have made half of the distance and camped 
without trouble but I should have revealed the weak- 
ness of my escort, and the temptation to crowd in 
would make it almost impossible to restrain a thou- 




*General Henry Leavenworth, the founder of Fort Leav- 
enworth, Kansas, left an only son, Colonel Jesse H. Leaven- 
worth. Colonel Leavenworth g-raduated at West Point in 1830 
and served in the Fourth and Second Infantry until 1836, when 
he resigned to engage in civil engineering. In 1862 Secretary 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 387 

sand or two young bucks. I never heard the wisdom 
of ni}^ action questioned by any of miy party. Dodge and 
Weis freely expressed themselves as pleased; it was a 
great relief to have passed safely by that great camp 
and to feel that they were left behind; but we did not 
relax our vigilance; the Indians might think w^e had 
grown confident and careless, and the guards were doubly 
cautious. 

From the Cimarron Crossing to Fort Union was 
the best natural road probably in the world, and shorter 
than by the Eatoin route by about one hundred miles, 
but the impression prevailed at Fort Leavenworth that 
it was very dangerous for my outfit on account of the 
Confederate guerrillas and Apache Indians, hence my 
orders were to go the Eaton route. 

Next morning we roUed out at the usual hour and 
traveled about twelve miles. There was nothing worthy 
of note until we reached Fort Lyon, commanded by Col- 
onel Leavenworth of the "Eocky Mountain Eangers," a 
son of the founder of Fort Leavenw^orth. We were two 
days here; got all the hay we wanted and turned over 
100 horses. Up to this time I had abandoned two horses, 
hopelessly crippled, so that I left Lyon with 510. 

From Lvon west and southwest, there had been a 
drought and the grass was too short to mow. We filled 

Stanton commissioned him to organize a rejjiment of cavalry 
In Colorado, and this organization became known as the 
*'Rocky Mountain Rangers." It did valiant service in pro- 
tecting a thousand miles of Western frontier from the en- 
•croachment of hostile tribes of Indians. He died in I 85, and 
his remains rest at Milwaukee. His four daughters reside in 
Chicago and Tacoma. 



388 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

all the wiagons at Lyon and fed sparingly. Crossed the 
river at Bent^s Old Fort and camped ten miles above. 
Here was a species of oanebrake^, flat-leaved, and relished 
by animals in the absence of other long forage. I had 
all cut, and piled into the wagons all that was not eaten. 
The next day it was thirty miles to Timpas without 
water between camps; grass good for mules running 
loose, but none could be cut with a scythe. On this 
route from the Arkansas to the Picketwire Eiver (Pur- 
gatoire) was always a hard problem for forage and water. 
My little supply of hay and cane would be all consumed 
to-night, and I did not expect to use a scythe again this 
side of the Raton Mountains. The mules could be herded 
where grass could not be mowed, but it was too late to 
break the horses to herd, and I would not be justified 
in trying it, if I met with an accident; but I will here 
exprciss the opinion that divided into herds of 200 or 
300 the horses would have gone to Mexico better on 
grass than they would on strings with plenty of hay and 
com. From Timpas to water holes was fifteen miles, 
and as I knew, no place to camp. Six miles farther was 
Hole in the Rock, and nothing but volcanic rock and 
stunted nine and cedar. Twelve miles more to Hole in 
the Prairie, there ought to be grass and water. 

In all these places watering must be done with 
buckets, and so it looked as if we would travel thirty- 
three miles and camp at Hole in the Prairie. The horse 
strings reached the water holes and were well watered. 
While they were watering the trains came and were told 
to pass on to Hole in the Rock to save time. The horse 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 339 

strings came up and passed the trains while watering 
at Hole in the Eock. With an assistant wagonmaster I 
rode on to Hole in the Prairie, where the ground showed 
no signs of rain for a long time, and was covered with 
a white scum of alkali and water strongly impregnated 
with it. Surely I could not camp anything here and let 
the animals drink. When the strings got here they 
would have traveled eighteen miles since watering and 
the trains twelve, in all thirty-three miles from Timpas. 
Fortunately the weather was cool. 

When the strings came up I sent them right on, not 
allowing men or beasts to use the water. I showed where 
the trains should camp on high ground above the alkali 
bottom; told the wagonmaster in charge to have the 
mules herded without allowing them in the bottoms or 
near the water; to corral the mules at dark and start 
early in the morning. Then I got into my ambulance 
with an assistant wagonmaster and drove for the Picket- 
wire; arrived there, I found the road had been changed 
since 1854 and ran up the north side. Following it 
about three miles, I saw a cabin and some stacks of oats, 
A young man living here alone had come from St. Louis 
in the spring, raised a crop of oats and a good garden. 
It was like an oasis in the desert. In short, I bought 
his three stacks of oats, as fine as I ever saw, and sent 
my assistant back to the turn of the road to bring up 
the horse strings. Two dollars a bushel the man wanted 
for his oats. That was the Government price at Miix- 
welFs ranch on the Cimarron. I did not dispute the 
price, and he left it to me to say how many bundles 



390 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

should make a bushel. They were large and I allowed 
a dozen, which was satisfactory. 

Near sunset the horse strings came up at the end 
of their forty-seven mile drive, and the horses all led 
into the beautiful clear stream up to their knees. Had 
we found no feed but the corn we had, they were for- 
tunate to be here instead of at the Hole in the Prairie. 
All of the foremen of strings and myself stood by to 
see that the horses were led out before drinking too 
much. They were watered all they wanted an hour later. 
Three bimdles were given each horse and no corn. A 
gorge of water with corn might cause some sickness; 
they ate every straw. After watering next morning 
they were given two bundles each and ate it clean be- 
fore noon, and the balance was put into the wagons and 
taken along. Three hundred dozen bundles of oats the 
man sold me, and reserved a few dozen for his horse. 
It was cheap feed under the circumstances for my 
horses, and none too much for him to get. We bought 
some nice vegetables from him also. 

Half a mile above lived Mr. , whose wife was a 

sister to Kit Carson, and she had a nice five-year-old boy. 
She brought him with her when she came with some 
milk and eggs to my camp to sell — a bright little fellow, 
and I had quite a romp with him. A week later he died 
from the effects of a rattlesnake bite. I was shocked 
to hear it on my return. 

The next morning I rode up to where now stands 
Trinidad and selected a camp. A man named Hall, for- 
merly sergeant in the Second Dragoons, lived there with 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 39 1 

a Mexican wife — the only inhabitants. He had raised a 
crop of corn and had a stack of fodder cut off above the 
ears and nicely cured. I bought it. The trains came up 
and watered wihere I bought the oats, and camped near 
HalFs. They found fairly good grass on hills. The 
horse strings came up in the afternoon. 

Since leaving Lyon we had been feeding mules the 
same amount of corn that we did the horses on account 
of short grass. The next day we moved about twelve 
miles up the caiion towards the Raton summit. The 
mules did well herded on gramma grass and the horses 
had fodder. The next day we had before us three miles 
to the summit and then down ten miles of steep, rocky, 
mountain road and three more to water holes. We had 
passed all the alkali country without losing an animal, 
but here a horse died. 

Colonel Leavenworth assured me that great efforts 
would be made by guerrillas, rebel sympathizers, etc., of 
which he claimed to have positive knowledge, to capture 
my outfit; that said guerrillas were in strong bands 
ranging through the country; this would be a rich haul 
for them, and once captured they could easily run to 
Texas or Indian Territory, and there were no troops in 
the country to pursue or make them afraid. And the 
Colonel declared that these same guerrillas were pre- 
suming- that the civilians of my party would have little 
incentive to fight, and my hundred soldiers, suddenly 
surprised by two or three hundred Texans, might not 
stand up very long either. To myself I must admit that 
with a well organized party of such men as I had known 



392 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

I could surprise and stampede a herd of mules and de- 
moralize a lot of horse strings without great loss. 

There was nothing strange in the ColoneFs story, 
and why an enterprising enemy should permit such a 
valuable caravan with so little protection to escape 
seemed a mystery. Armed as my men were they would 
seem a strong defensive party, and so they were in 
corral and could protect it, hut a party of rough riders 
dashing into a herd or a train en route could cause much 
demoralization, and all the teamsters could do would 
be to care for their teams, and the horse string men 
would he too busy to fight, so that as a fighting force 
my men amounted to nothing en route. On the open 
plains with my little squad of cavalry on the lookout, 
we were tolerably safe, but in the mountains or broken 
countrv it was more dangerous. I had talked with Lieu- 
tenants Dodge and Weis a good deal, and they fully ap- 
preciated the danger and were extremely vigilant. Sure- 
ly if I was to have trouble it would be in getting down 
the south side of the mountain. 

Dodge was off early and covered a wide range with- 
out seeing a man or anything to arouse suspicion. As 
the horse strings worked their way slowly down with 
great difficulty Weis's men faithfully picketed the way. 
It was a hard road fox horse strings, but we finally 
reached camp at the water holes, when some wagons 
came in sight and kept coming until sunset, when all 
were in camp and no animals hurt, F Company bringing 
up the rear. It was a faithful day's work for all con- 
cerned and no sign of an enemy. 



FIVE TEARS A DRAGOON. 393 

Early the next morning I sent Mr. Sharp, a man 
in charge of a horse string, with a letter to Mr. Max- 
well, of Maxwell's ranch, requesting him to deliver at 
my camp on Vermijo, fifteen miles northeast of his 
ranch, 2,000 bundles of sheaf oats, or an equivalent in 
hay or other long fodder — whatever he had. It was 
twenty-eight miles, and I found Sharp and the oats ready 
for me. Sharp's ride was fifty-eight miles, and if he 
had not stayed with the Mexican ox drivers, they would 
not have reached my camp. 

The next day twenty-five miles to Sweet Water. I 
found men putting up hay, claiming they had the right, 
and I bought from them enough for one night and to 
haul along for to-morrow night, for I knew we would 
find none at Ocate, where we arrived the next day — four- 
teen miles. 

At the Sweet Water camp, a young Mexican com- 
plained that two men had come to his sheep herd and 
taken two young sheep, shot them, took out their en- 
trails and packed the sheep off on their backs. His 
employer would take $2 apiece out of his wages for 
losing them, and he wanted that much money. I went 
around with him, found fresh mutton, and he pointed 
out the men who took the sheep. I told the men to 
hustle the $4 and I would make no fuss about it; other- 
wise, I would find a way to get it. It was soon paid, 
and notice given that no robbery would be permitted; 
"the damn greaser," as they pleased to call him, had 
rights that must be respected. No more sheep were 
stolen. 



394 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



Ocate to Fort Union, twenty miles, where I was 
w^ell received by Captain Craig, the quartermaster (whom 
I had not seen since 1854), Captain Van Vliet, military 
storekeeper, old Captain Shoemaker, ordnance officer 
(whom I had met here in 1854), and Colonel Moore, the 
post trader. This was the 10th of October, and we had 
traveled 622 miles from Fort Riley in thirty days, in- 
cluding two days lay-by at Fort Lyon. Our losses had 
been three horses and four mules. 

I turned over all wagons, except the eighteen light 
ones used by horse strings and my ambulance, all mules 
except nineteen four-mule teams and five riding mules, 
and all horses except two. A few men wanted to re- 
main in New Mexico and found employment, but 250 
returned with me. 

I disliked parting with Lieutenant Weis and Comp- 
pany F and Lieutenant Dodge and his Ninth Kansans, 
but I no longer needed them and they did not need me. 
I would travel much faster than they, and so we parted, 
on my part regretfully. I do not know Dodge's career, 
hut fear that he joined the great majority during the 
terrible war. Major William Weis, after many adven- 
turesi — ups and downs, can be found at his saddlery shop 
industriously making an honorable living at 2630 Cham- 
pa Street, Denver, Colo. . 

But about half of the men could ride at one time 
in the eighteen wagons. I put a wagonmaster or fore- 
ma.n of horse strings in charge of each wagon, and the 
men were divided off so that each man knew the wagon 
and mess that he belonged to, and the man in charge 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 395 

must see that they rode turn about. Some men never 
rode; one, "Dick" Anderson of Platte County, Missouri, 
left camp as soon as he got breakfast and was in camp 
in the evening among the first. He came from Utah 
with me in 1858, and never rode a step except when 
snow was deep. Weather on the return trip was good 
until towards the last — just cold enough to make men 
relish walking. 

I measured the road from Union to Leavenworth, 
752 miles, with an odometer on my ambulance wheel. 
The second night from Union we camped at Sweet 
Water. A high promontory juts out into the plain south 
of our camp; w^agons came around it following the road 
with half of the men strung along on foot; and bring- 
ing up the extreme rear was a cavalcade of about twenty 
men mounted on ponies, horses, mules or burros. They 
had improvised bridles of lariat ropes. I inquired where 
they got their mounts, and they claimed to have found 
them loose and picked them up as strays and thought 
they had a right to them. I told them that ranchmen 
had stoek all over this country; all of them were branded; 
this was a public pasture, and to take an animal from it 
without consulting the owner, was stealing just as much 
as was stealing a horse from a farm, and they must turn 
them loose. One tough fellow said that the people in 
this country were '^'^nothing but a damn set of rebels 
anyhow^^; to which I replied that he was not commis- 
sioned to judge of the loyalty of any man, and if he did 
not go back to the other side of that bluff and turn loose 
the horse that he was riding and the pony that he was 



396 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

leading I would turn liim loose without a scratch to 
show the amount due him and he should not be per- 
mitted to travel with my party. Turning to the other 
men I told them that my remarks applied to them also. 
All but two said they had no idea they were stealing, 
and laughingly rode back and turned loose. I told the 
two sulky ones not to come near my camp until they 
got ready to live up to my rule. Two or three men went 
out and talked to them, and they finally rode around the 
bluff and returned on foot. This incident stopped all 
lawlessness. If it had been permitted, all of the un- 
scrupulous fellows would have come into Leavenworth 
mounted, and flattered themselves that they were brave. 
We made two drives, herding the mules night and 
day, fed two quarts of corn to each animal to Fort Lyon ; 
Lyon to Kiley one quart, and then four quarts the bal- 
ance of the way. I did not want to take much corn from 
Union or Lyon; nor did I want to haul so much as to 
keep men from riding. From Eiley east grass was dead 
and I bought hay. 

Where the Indian camp stood on the Arkansas 
when we went west were camped two companies of the 
Second Colorado, under command of Captain Scott J. 
Anthony, of Denver. The Indians had gone south for 
the winter. 

Approaching the Saline River to select camp, travel- 
ing along the west bank was an immense flock of wild 
turkeys.. I got out with my shotgun and killed two, and 
the others did laot fly; did not seem to know what it was 
all about, and I killed one with my pistol. They ran and 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 397 

fluttered along into the thick timher where they roosted. 
After we were camped, men got after them and one Ger- 
man, who had a double-barreled shotgun, killed a dozen. 
The weather was cold and I kept my largest one until I 
got home, November 17th. 

In the 1,500 mile round trip with more than 250 
men, representing all classes, with no doctor, dependent 
upon the box of medicines that my friend Dr. Samuel 
Phillips put up for me, without the loss of a man by de- 
sertion or illness, with no serious illness or other inability 
to perform hard duty, we made the return trip from Union 
to Leavenworth in thirty-one days — more than twenty- 
four miles per day — half of the way on foot. The cold 
weather was upon us; we were all anxious to get home, 
and there was no complaint. I came in two days ahead 
of my party. 

Again my vanity prompts me to challenge compari- 
son with anyone who has ever traversed the Great Plains 
with horses or mules. Five or ten per cent, of loss was 
not unusual, but here wc sent 614 horses 550 miles and 
510 horses more than 200 miles farther, and 534 mules 
752 miles, and return two horses and eighty-one mules 
with a loss of but three horses and four mules, and 250 
men return in perfect health, after more than two months 
of out-door exposure and hard work, and no sickness. 

But the merit of my trip, if any be due, lies in the 
safe delivery of so many animals at the end of so long a 
journey with so little loss, and a bill of health unparal- 
leled for that length of time with that number of men. 
With few exceptions, wherever I have met one of these 



398 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAaOON. 

men I have felt no hesitancy in recommending him. Men 
who could work so hard and faithfully without a,ny pre- 
vious discipline can be trusited anywhere. Most of the 
men entered trains and continued in Government employ 
without losing time, and I had the pleasure of placing 
many of them in good positions. Three men of this par- 
ty served with me in the First Dragoons — Mr. William P. 
Drummond, who was a sergeant in my (B) troop, was this 
trip in charge of a horse-string. Warren Kimball (since 
dead), who joined me as a recruit, and Mr. James H. Bed- 
dow, whom I knew in K Ttoop, and who is now and has 
been ever since he returned with me from New Mexico, 
an employee of the quartermaster's department, now and 
for many years, having police supervision of the Fort 
Leavenworth military reservation and wearing the star of 
deputy United States marshal — universally respected for 
his long and faithful service. He is now 80 years old. 

Probably thirty men of my party had been with me 
on other trips, and to them I was indebted for much of 
the good order and discipline. 



PART X. 

I CONTINUED in Government transportation busi- 
ness until the spring of 1863, when I went east 
and while in Washington, by permission of Mr. 
Stanton, the Seeretar}' of War, visited my brother, Prof. 
T. S. C. Lowe, who was in charge of the Balloon 
Corps of the Army of the Potomac. I joined him at 
Falmouth just before the battle of Chancellorsville and 
remained until it was over. A friend loaned me a 
good horse and I renewed my acquaintance with sev- 
eral officers who had risen from minor rank when I 
knew them on the Plains, to be general officers. I was 
at Gen. Sedgwick's headquarters the evening before he 
with his 6th Corps captured the heights of Fredericks- 
burg^called the second battle of Fredericksburg — and 
saw all the movements of his Corps to the end of the re- 
treat of Gen. Hooker^iS Army. Eeturning home I was 
sent by Gen. Easton on transportation business to Fort 
Scott and returned to Fort Leavenworth with 600 head of 
"contraband^' cattle. It was a notorious fact that of 
thousands of head gathered at or near Fort Scott, this lot 
was the first to be sa,ved to the Government, all others 
having been "lost or strayed'' or appropriated by patriots. 
It wouldn't do to say that a man who loved his country 
would steal anything captured from the enemy, or that 
the sole object in capturing was to open the way to steal ii. 

;W9 



400 FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 

En route back to Fort Leavenworth I stopped in the 
south edge of Lawrence over night where I hired a corral 
of a milkman named Palmer, who was killed the following 
night in the Quiantrell Eaid. I crossed the stock over the 
Kaw in the morning and rode home. A man by my name 
was killed in the Eaid and my friends thought I was the 
victim — 'twas a narrow escape. 

The horse and mule trade at Fort Leavenworth was 
immense and in the fall of 1863 I left Government em- 
ployment to become a contractor. My records of business 
transacted in horses and mules forage and freighting in 
1863-4-5-6 were in a ware house vault belonging to me 
and were all consumed in a fire in 1880 and I must refer 
to business from memory. The late L. T. Smith was my 
partner in many contracts for horses, mules, hay and corn 
on which we made much money. Mr. J. S. Eice was my 
partner in a large ox train freighting to Fort Halleck. 
In 1866 Mr. Alanzo Huckins became my partner in the 
mule trade. We built large corrals and handled many 
mules. Nearly all the mules used by Shoemaker, Miller 
& Co. in constructing the Eastern Division of the U. P. 
Eoad were furnished by us. We furnished hundreds of 
mules for Mexican freighters until the railroad got too 
far west for the freighters to come to the Missouri Eiver. 

In 1868 I was the successful bidder for the contract 
to move all government freight from the end of the U. P. 
Eailroad to New Mexico and intermediate points — from 
April, 1868, to April, 1869. The railroad reached Barker 
for the spring movement of freight and reached Hays be- 
■fore fall. The contract was in my name, but the firm 



FIV£j YEARS A DRAGOON. 401 

name of the transporters was Lowe, Newman & Co. I 
retained one-fourth interest, Newman & Powers one- 
fourth, J. C. Erwin & Co. one-fourth, and Morehead & 
Allen one-fourth, and the contract was very profitable. 
1 gave a bond of $200,000 and my partners were the 
bondsmen. 

The following yeair April, 1869, to April, 1870, the 
contract was in the name of Powers and the firm was 
Powers, Otero, Lowie & Co. We freighted from Harker 
to Sill, Hays to Dodge a/nd Camp Supply and from Kit 
Cairson to Fort Union. Tiexas fever destroyed 1,500 cat- 
tle belonging to our sub-co^ntractors, thereby making 
transportation isoarce and high and there was no money 
made on the contract. 

In 1870 I was awarded the contract to move all Gov- 
ernment freight from Baxter Springs and Fort Gibson to 
Forts Arbuckle and Sill. Mr. Alonzo Huckins was my 
partner in this contract. 

The railroads moving west had made such advance- 
ment that the Government needed fewer mules, the Mexi- 
can and other trade no longer came to the Missouri Eiver 
and we sold our mule-corrals and quit that branch of the 
business. There was nothing of much interest in the 
1870 contract to move freight except that there was little 
freight and it barely paid expenses. 

Lowe & Huckins handled cattle in 1871. In 1872 
the contracts were awarded to me to furnish beef from 
the block at Forts Leavenworth, Larned, Dodge and Camp 
Supply. Mr. '^'Joe^^ Kirmayer was my partner at Fort 
Leavenworth and filled the contract. I sub-let the con- 



402 ^^^^ YEARS A DRAGOON. 

tracts at Larned and Dodge and tbey gave me no trouble 
and some profit. I gave Mr. Hnckins an equal interest 
in my Camp Supply contract — he to devote his time to it, 
and we, with a colored man named "Elic'' Fields, who was 
with me many years, with an ambulance and pair of 
horses, guns and pointer dog, drove from Harker to 
Larned and Dodge where on account of hostile Indians 
we were obliged to leave the ambulance, driver, team and 
dog, and travel with the mail escort to Supply, which we 
did and returned safely. Then we drove from Dodge 
east to Great Bend, now the county seat of Barton Coun- 
ty, Kans., where I bought cattle, saw Huekins, started 
with herders enough to handle them, leaving Elic, team, 
ambulance, dog and guns with him, and returned to Hark- 
er by stage and from there by rail home. I was much 
broken in health and ought not to have made the trip to 
Supply. 

And now follows Mr. Huekins^ adventures with the 
cattle: He camped on the Arkansas Eiver, near where 
Kinsley now is, had been on guard the last half of the 
night and came in at 4 o'clock to rouse the camp. Just 
as he dismounted from his pony many shots were fired in- 
to his camp, the attacking party charging through it 
driving everything before them except the pony from 
which he had just dismounted. Some shots struck the 
ambulance close to him. He believed the attacking party 
to be Indians and told his men that he was going to Fort 
Dodge for help and advised them to care for themselves 
as best they eould. The rush through camp was made 
Itom northeast to southwest — up the river, and Huekins 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 4^3 

concluded to look a little in that direction. The night 
was very dark. About half a mile from camp he saw in 
the dim dawn two men changing their saddles to the ambu- 
lance team, a black and a grey. The two men saw Huck- 
ins at the same time, mounted and charged after him, 
shooting rapidly. Huckins urged his pony in retreat as 
fast as possible but they were close to him and sending 
the bullets close, but missing. Thinking they must sure- 
ly get him soon he stopped, faced them and took a hand 
in the shooting. At his first shot a man fell from the 
black horse, the next shot hit the grey horse or the rider 
— he did not know which, but it stopped the pursuit and 
he got away. How many were in the attacking party he 
did not know, but from the number of shots fired into 
camp he knew there were more than these two. The San- 
ta Fe Eailway track was being graded and Huckins rode 
to Foreman Jackson's camp some miles away, told Jack- 
son of his trouble and rode on to Fort Dodge. A troop 

of cavalry under Capt. went with him and in 

the forenoon the cattle Avere all found with a man driv- 
ing them. He was confined in the guard house a few 
days, claimed that he found them and was going to take 
them to Dodge. As nothing could be proven against 
him, he was released. Foreman Jackson, with a team and 
party of men went to Huckins' camp, found the dead man 
that he shot, who proved to be one of the white out-laws 
who infested that part of the country at that time, left 
him lying where he fell and brought the ambulance, har- 
ness, dog, gun and other equipments to Dodge. "Elic" 
went to Boyd's Eanch near Larned where he worked sev- 



404 ^I^E YEARS A DRAGOON. 

eral months before returning to Leavenworth. The 
other men found their way to Dodge. Huckins, with an 
escort, got the cattle safely to Supply. In August we 
bought cattle enough to finish the contract which Huck- 
ins stayed with to the end with good success, for which he 
deserved much credit. Between hostile Indians and out- 
laws ^twas a hard struggle and a less nervy man would 
have failed. He married — bought a farm and prospered, 
raised a good family and is now one of Leavenworth's 
most wealthy and respected citizens. 

And now I was out of business, broken in health and 
obliged to rest. My chances for the future were not good. 
I bought property that I thought would make my family 
comfortable and for the next three years traveled in 
search of the health I had sacrificed in my efforts to make 
money. I traveled in Colorado, through Florida and 
other southern states and gained strength and usefulness. 

One incident of my travels is worth mentioning: 
Mr. Wm. Farrell was my traveling companion. I knew 
that my captain, under whom 1 served four and a half 
years was superintendent of a cotton factory in Columbus, 
Ga. He resigned as pay-master in the Army, joined the 
Confederate Army, was a general officer with Gen. Lee, 
surrendered when he did, and like an honest man had 
gone to work to make an honest living. We would pass 
through Columbus and this, in all probability would be 
my only chance to see him again. I told Mr. Farrell and 
he said "stop off and make the call by all means." Our 
train arrived in Columbus in the night, we went to the 
hotel and after breakfast called at General Chilton's office 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 4Q5 

in town. He had not yet arrived from home three miles 
up the river where his factory was and where he lived 
The office boy looked at the clock and said the General 
would be in the office in live minutes. He might come 
sooner but not later. It dawned on me that he was liv- 
ing up to his old habits. Sure enough he came in on the 
minute^, said "Good morning, gentlemen/' and moved to- 
wards us pulling off his gloves. I immediately stood "at 
attention" and returned his salutation by saying "Good 
morning, Gen. Chilton." He looked sharply at me, shook 
my hand and said : "You have the advantage of me, sir.'^ 
"Yes, General," said I; "I expected that I would have, 
twenty years is a long time." "Yes," said he, "twenty 
years of hard work." He sat down and covered his face 
with his hands. Then noticing that I still stood "to at- 
tention," he said "Please be seated," and looked search- 
ingly at me, when I said "Well, General, you don't know 
me?" He stood up, took both of my hands in his and 
said: "Yes, I do know all about you. You are my old 
first sergeant." I introduced Mr. Farrell who had been 
much interested in our meeting, — in short I explained 
why we stopped off and that we would continue our jour- 
ney that night. The General gave Mr. Farrell a note to 
the superintendent of a factory who would pass him along 
to the next and so on, and took me in his buggy, telling 
Mr. Farrell that we would not be much company for him 
as we would talk of things in which he would feel no in- 
terest. IJp the river three miles we drove and he ex- 
plained that when the War closed he had nothing and no 
employment with which to support his family. The cot- 



406 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



ton mills had been burned and there was nothing left but 
the water power and burned and warped machinery. The 
company owning the water power offered him, to take 
charge of the property, a home to live in, small salary and 
an interest in any business that he could build from the 
wreck. He found a circular saw, fixed up the water 
power to run it, sawed lumber, soon started spindles to 
make thread, which he peddled about town to get money 
to go on with. In short from these ruins he had built a 
first class factory of 152 looms and was continually adding 
to it. He had a mill for grinding wheat and corn, bought 
wheat and corn by the car load when he needed it, had a 
complete commissary department, tenements for his em- 
ployees, employed the poor white people w^ho were in great 
distress throughout the country, furnished them provis- 
ions at the retail price in Columbus, and paid cash for 
everything. At his home he Avas very comfortable. 

I had been looking at a picture of Gen. Lee when 
turning to Gen. C. I said, that it was reported and gener- 
ally believed in the North that when Gen. Stuart cap- 
tured Gen. Pope's headquarters and his famous ' order 
"Headquarters in the Saddle" he brought the order to 
Gen. Lee who remarked: "That is the first time I ever 
heard of a man's headquarters being w^here his hind quar- 
ters ought to be." Gen. C. replied : "No, Gen. Lee nev- 
er said that. He could not have said it — there was no 
levity about him — he was at all times dignified. I was 
adjutant-general and Stuart brought the order to me and 
said: "By the way, Chilton, that is the first time I ever 
heard of a man's headquarters being where his hind quar- 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. ' 407 

ters ought to be/' It sounded like Stuart who saw the 
ridiculous side of everything. This version of the "Head- 
quarters in the Saddle" incident may be accepted as true 
history. No one who ever knew Gen. Chilton will doubt it 
for a moment. The General returned me to Columbus and 
we parted never to meet again, after one of the most in- 
teresting days of my life. He was exceedingly interested 
in what I could tell him about the members of the troop 
and at that time I knew of but four living, more than 
half of them had been killed by Indians or overtaken by 
violent death in other ways. 

In the spring of 1876 the quartermaster at Fort 
Leavenw^orth employed me to act as guide in chaining 
the Santa Fe trail from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Union, 
New Mexico. I was out of business, my family and prop- 
erty in good shape, and it would be a pleasure trip for 
which I w^ould be well paid and I ought to be much 
improved in health by it. We chained by Council Grove, 
and the old Santa Fe trail via Raton route, 752 miles 
to Union. Eeturning we chained from Fort Riley to 
Fort Leavenworth. Lieutenant Borden, Fifth Infantry, 
was in charge of the party and the trip was pleasant 
and uneventful — no hostile Indians or other trouble. I 
made my report and was discharged the 1st of October. 

Some friends of mine had taken the contract to 
furnish beef for the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho In- 
dians at Red Cloud and Spotted Tail agencies in north- 
west Nebraska, for the year ending June 30, 1877. I 
do not need to go into details about the trouble in the 
firm that lead up to my employment. I was chosen to 



408 ^^^^ TEARS A DRAGOON. 

go -upon the ranges, take an account of cattle and other 
property and report, which I agreed to do on condition 
that I should not be more than a month about it. I 
arrived at Sidney, Neb., where I was to meet the man- 
ager on the 16th of October, who was to show me every- 
thing. But he did not meet me. I took stage to Bed 
Cloud agency — 120 miles — went with Indian Conunis- 
sioners Daniels & Howard, with Spotted Tail chief and 
two scouts^ — Gruard and Battese^ — to Spotted Tail agency 
and returned to Red Cloud, met one of the company's 
foremen from whom I learned much, went to his camp 
fifteen miles, to another camp fifteen more and to a 
third camp ten miles, three gangs of men. I appointed 
a day to round up the cattle and found about 6,000, 
whereas the foreman referred to said there should have 
been 10,000 and that at least 4,000 were on a ranch 
owned by the said manager. About 500 head were re- 
quired every ten days, so that by the end of June 12,000 
would be needed if none were winter killed and prob- 
ably many would be. I learned everything that I could, 
reported by letter and asked the firm to send a suitable 
manager at once to relieve me. They promised but no one 
came, and it was the middle of the next July, after eight 
months of struggle including a bitter cold winter, dur- 
ing which I furnished more than 12,000 cattle for the 
Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians, more than 6,000 
of which I bought along the North Platte and about 
Fort Laramie. I was warmly thanked and fairly well 
paid by my friends and roundly cursed by the other 
parties. 



FIVE YEAR8 A DRAGOON. 409 

The incidents of interest in the eight months of my 
stay in that country would fill a volume if handled by 
a good writer, but most of my data was destroyed by fire 
and I don't care to write about it. 

I employed Mr. Fielder Philips to buy cattle for 
me in the vicinity of Fort Laramie where he had a ranch. 
He bought 2,140 head and I was daily expecting a mes- 
sage from him informing me that the cattle were ready, 
and had sent a party of men to take charge of them. I 
needed the cattle and sent "Elic" Adam, my Indian ser- 
vant and traveling companion, with a letter to Mr. 
Philips. I gave him two ponies to ride, turn about. He 
left me at 8 a. m., with instructions to deliver the let- 
ter that night. It was 81^ miles from where he left me 
at Eed Cloud Agency to Laramie. My letter to Mr. 
Philips requested him to exchange ponies with "Elic," 
giving him fresh ones to return on, and expected him 
to sleep at Laramie and return the next day. The next 
morning at 8 o'clock — twenty-four hours after leaving 
me^ — here came "Elic" with a letter from Mr. Philips. 
He had delivered my letter at 7 p. m., eleven hours aiter 
leaving me. Mr. Philips gave him supper and lunch and 
two fresh ponies with instructions to deliver letter to me 
by 8 a. m. the next day, which he did. This faithful, 
untiring, full-blood Sioux had traveled on four ponies 
163 miles in twenty-four hours without sleep. No one 
can dispute the distance — it has been measured by army 
officers and is 80 miles between Camp Robinson and 
Laramie and it is IJ miles from Robinson to the agency. 
The road was quite straight and he could not save dis- 



41ii 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOON. 



tance by short cuts — twenty miles oi it was deep 
sand. Now let the long riders with their fine horses 
come in and claim something better. In half an hour 
after he had returned he was in my buggy with me on 
the way back to Laramie, where we arrived the next day 
at noon. He did good sleeping in the buggy. When I 
sent this man with the letter I knew he would deliver 
it before he stent. When Philips started him back he 
knew that I would get the letter in twelve hours. He 
could not speak English but could understand a little 
and I could squeeze out a little Dakota. For seven 
months he was to me all that an honest, faithful servant 
could be. When I left that country I parted with him 
with deep regret. He was one of the most interesting 
men I ever met, this poor benighted Sioux. 

I returned home determined that this should be my 
last taste of wild life — I would henceforth devote myself 
to my family. I left a good home and my good wife 
had managed the two sons and two daughters as few 
mothers could. Somehow I seemed to be always plung- 
ing into some hard task and I detcTmined to resist every 
temptation and live quietly. 

I served in the city council from 1868 to 1870 as 
its president — 1876 was again nrnde "president and re- 
signed without serving because of absence from homo — 
and now at the fall election of 1877 I was elected sheriff 
of Leavenworth County and re-elected two years later, 
serving four years, the limit allowed by law. In 1885 was 
elected State Senator and served during three sessions 
of the Legislature. I served on the Leavenworth school 



FIVE YEARS A DRAGOOX. 411 

board by appointment, declining election; was appointed 
police commissioner by Governor Humphrey, serving as 
secretary of the board one and a half years. 

My sons graduated at Pennsylvania Military College, 
my daughters at Brook Hall, Media, Pa. My eldest son 
is commandant of cadets at the Western Military Acad- 
emy, Upper Alton, 111. He is also a graduate of the law 
department of Washington University, St. Louis. The 
other son is retired as a captain in the regular army. 
My eldest daughter is the wife of Major L. S. McCor- 
mack of the Seventli United States Cavalry, and the 
other the wife of Mr. Samuel H. Wilson, of the Great 
Western Manufacturing Company, of Leavenworth. 

My deaT wife died March 5th, 1905, and is buried 
in the National Cemetery at Fort Leavenworth, where 
I will join her in the near future. A more lovable woman, 
a purer or more gentle wife, a more sweet and kindly 
mother I never knew. She made my family and home 
all that I could hope for, and brightened my pathway 
for nearly forty-four years. 

She was educated at the Liberty, Missouri, Female 
Academy, under the tutelage of Prof, and Mrs. James 
Love. She possessed a remarkably good mind and was 
blessed with superior intelligence and refined tastes. 

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. ' 



INDEX. 

PART 1. 

Early adventures. — Newsboy and sailor. — Enlist in Bos- 
ton. — Thence to Carlisle and adventures there. — Carlisle to 
Fort Leavenworth by rail; by canal-boats; by steam-boats 
and on foot. — Arrival at Fort Leavenworth on Christmas 
day, 1849; winter there and description of the Fort as it 
was at that time. 

PART 2. 

Major Ogden and the new road from Fort Leavenworth 
to Fort Kearney, where we joined B Troop, First Dragoons. 
— Fort Kearney and war with the Pawnee Indians. — Pursuit 
of the Pawnees. — The chief a prisoner. — Meeting the Chey- 
ennes. — Return to Fort Kearney and "big talk" with the 
Pawnees. — Move to Fort Leavenworth and winter there. — 
Capture and imprisonment of four Kaw chiefs. — Promotion. 
— Escort of Paymaster Macklin to Forts Kearney and Lar- 
amie. — Camp Macklin. — Pursuit of stray mules and hor- 
rors of a night in the Sioux camp. — Return to Fort Leav- 
enworth, — Return of troop from relief of Fort Adkinson. — 
Troops to Fort Laramie. — Adjutant-General Cooper. — Colonel 
George Knapp, B. Gratz Brown, and the Missouri Republican. — 
Sioux, Cheyennes, Arapahoes. — Major "Jim" Bridger and the 
Snakes. — The fierce Sioux. — The intrepid interpreter. — Cool- 
ness of the Snake chief and great confidence of his people. — 
Treaty at the mouth of Horse Creek. — Sixty thousand In- 
dians. — Composure and fine character of Snake Indians. — 
Return to Fort Leavenworth and winter there. — Pottawato- 
mie Indian payment at Uniontown. — More than 3,100 miles 
on one horse in seven months. 

413 



414 JXDEX. 

PART 3. 

Major Chilton on leave. — Lieutenant Hastings in command 
of troop. — Sergeant Hooper leaves the troop. — Sergeant Cud- 
dy and his escort for the paymaster to Laramie and return 
to the troop on the Arkansas. — Victims of whiskey. — Pro- 
motion, — Campaign along the Santa Fe Trail in 1852. — In- 
dians attack trains. — Captain Buckner and Company D, 6th 
Infantry. — Hard duty and constant vigilance. — Shooting into 
Indian camp. — Indians vanish during night. — Lodge poles for 
fuel. — Major Chilton returns and takes command. — Hunters 
to "Angel Spring." — Kill buffalo and are chased by Indians. 
— ^Return to Fort Leavenworth. — Plenty of buffalo en route. — 
Major Chilton escorts Major Ogden to locate new post, after- 
wards named Fort Riley. — Pleasant trip and plenty of tur- 
key.^ — Comfortable winter. — Company courts-martial. — ^Com- 
pany library and its great benefit. — Son of a United States 
senator a soldier. — Campaign of 1S53 along the Santa F6 
Trail. — Fort Adkinson abandoned and camp on Walnut Creek 
established. — Sergeant Cook kills Osages. — Major Chilton and 
Satanta. — Major Fitzpatrick and distribution of presents to 
Kiowas, Comanches and Apaches. — Destruction of Fort Ad- 
kinson buildings. — Sod walls, fleas and demoralized cats. — 
Extreme hardships of the summer. — Big timber and return 
on trail toward Fort Leavenworth. — Capture of Osages. — 
Fighting fire at Diamond Springs. — Capture of Kaw chief. 
— Winter at Fort Leavenworth. — Purchase of new horses. — 
Management and feed. 

PART 4. 

Campaign to New Mexico. — Trouble with Kiowas. — 
Stampede on the Arkansas. — Route by Raton Mountains. — 
Arrived at Fort Union. — Furlough to end of enlistment.^ 
Farewell to the troop, — Return with Colonel Cook's com- 
mand to Fort Leavenworth. — Employed in Quartermaster's 
Department as wagonmaster; post wagonmaster. 



INDEX. 415 

PART 5. 

Sent to Fort Riley with Major Ogden's men to build new 
post. — Cholera at Fort Riley and incidents connected there- 
with. — Death of Major Ogden and one hundred others. — Og- 
den Monument. — Drs. Whitehorn and Phillips volunteer to at- 
tend the sick. — Monument erected to memory of men killed 
in battle with Indians. — Return to Fort Leavenworth and 
winter in Platte County. 

PART 6. 
The Kansas War of 1856. — With Lieutenant Stuart and 
train to Colonel Sumner's camp near We-stport. — Incidents 
of the summer's campaign. — Lawrence ferry. — Colonel Cook's 
camp near Lecompton. — Burning of homes in that vicinity. — 
Governor Robinson and his callers. — Murder of Roberts; 
death of his murderer. — Peace declared. — Pleasant winter In 
Platte County. 

PART 7. 
The Cheyenne expedition. — Major Sedgwick by the Ar- 
kansas. — Colonel Sumner by the Platte route. — Crossing the 
South Platte. — Fort Laramie to the South Platte. — ^A night 
on Powder River. — Attempt to ferry and drowning of Dough- 
erty. — Major Sedgewick's and Colonel Sumner's commands 
meet. — Fourth of July salutes. — Colonel Sumner takes the 
field with pack train, sending train back to Laramie. — Train- 
loads for South Platte to meet Colonel Sumner. — Squaws 
catching snakes. — Hand-to-hand struggle with Cheyennes.^ 
Captured and in chains. — 'No longer a boy to give up my 
bow." — Burning of lodges at mouth of Lodge Pole Creek. — 
Son of Cheyenne chief a prisoner. — Head chief admonishes 
his son by howling in imitation of a wolf. — Wagon corral. — 
Colonel Sumner's command fails to come. — Anxious days and 
nights. — Indian prisoners report battle with Colonel Sumner 
and Cheyennes all going north. — "Sioux under Man-Afraid- 

27— 



416 INDEX. 

of-His-Horses."— Colonel Magraw; his train and ''Tim" Good- 
ale, the mountaineer. — "Lowe's route avoiding Ash Hollow 
Hill."— Captain Van White en route to Utah. — Colonel Alex- 
ander and 10th Infantry en route to Utah. — "Big Phil'" and 
express from Laramie. — D. 0. Mills and party en route from 
California to the "States." — Dr. Corey joins us from Lieuten- 
ant Bryan's party. — Captains Dixon and Clarke, en route to 
Utah, bring news of Colonel Sumner's battle with Cheyennes. 
— Wounded to Fort Kearney. — Fifth Infantry en route to 
Utah. — Train ordered to Fort Kearney. — Arrived at Kearney 
and ordered back to Ash Hollow. — Again ordered to Kear- 
ney. — Cheyenne prisoners left in guard-house the thirty-nine 
days they were with us. — Lieutenant Marmaduke en route 
to I-aramie. — Kill plenty of buffalo. — Marmaduke's potatoes 
(first seen in four months) and my prairie chickens. — Ar- 
rival at Kearney. — Join Major Sedgwick on Little Blue. — 
General A. S. Johnston and Major Fitzjohn Porter. — Turn 
over best teams to General Johnston's quartermaster. — Colonel 
Cook's command. — End of campaign. — Arrival at Fort Leav- 
enworth. — ^Colonel Sumner. — Character of men olf the ex- 
pedition. 

PART 8. 

Feeding miules in Platte County, — Capture of horses and 
surrender of deserters. — Levi Wilson. — Outfitting trains. — 
Discharge of drunken outfit. — Columns en route to Utah. — Ter- 
rible struggle with muddy roads. — Clothing trains to Utah 
under Lowe. — Much illness and suffering. — Safe delivery of 
goods and return to Fort I-^eavenworth through snow. — Frost- 
bitten men. 

PART 9. 

1859. — Leave Government building to go into business 
with Clayton and Kershaw. — Swarms of pilgrims to and 
from Pike's Peak. — Arrival in Denver with goods. — Denver. 



INDEX. 417 

— Stagnant then; prosperous later. — Erect the first frame 
building in Denver.— Successful business.—Sell my interest 
to the Claytons in January, 1861.— Return to Fort Leaven- 
worth by coach, buy train. — Successful trip. — Marry and 
make second successful trip. — Civil War. — Thieves along the 
border. — Sell train to Government, move to Leavenworth, and 
return to Government business.— 1862. — New Mexico and re- 
turn and incidents of the trip.— Teams and horse strings.— 
Kiowa and Comanche Indians.— Captain Reed.— Colonel Leav- 
enworth. — Fort Union. — Excellent character of men. — Excel- 
lent character of Lieutenant Weis and his Company F. — 
Lieutenant Dodge and his cavalry. — Over the Raton. 

PART 10. 
Second battle of Fredericksburg.— Trip to Fort Scott.— 
Quantrell raid —Return to freighting and contracting.— Move 
Government freight to New Mexico and other points 1868-9. 
—1870 freight in Indian Territory.— 1872 beef contracts and 
Huskins' adventure on the Arkansas.— Stampede of cattle.— 

Huskins kills an outlaw and succeeds in filling contract. 

Travel for health.— Florida and the South.— Call on General 
Chilton.— General Lee.— Stuart and "headquarters in the 
saddle."— Chaining the Santa F6 trail.— Filling contract 
for furnishing beef for Indians.— "Elic" rides 163 miles in 
24 hours— Return home.— Determined to rest.— Elected sher- 
iff. — Political offices. — My family. 



For the use of the cuts of Kaw Indians and views in the 
vicinity of Council Grove, we are indebted to Hon. George P. 
Morehouse, of Council Grove, Kansas. Other cuts furnished 
by the Journal of the United States Cavalry Association. 



